Collin Raye was born Aug. 22, 1960, in DeQueen, AR, with the name Floyd Col… Read Full Bio ↴Collin Raye was born Aug. 22, 1960, in DeQueen, AR, with the name Floyd Collin Wray. Both of his parents were musical, and his mother, Lois Wray, was a regionally popular performer in East Texas who opened shows for Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in the 1950s. At 7, Raye was onstage with her performing. At 13, he and his older brother Scott formed The Wray Brothers and performed in the roadhouses of the Lone Star State. They soon became headliners in Portland, OR, and in the casinos of Reno, NV.

Raye first attracted Nashville's attention as the lead vocalist on a string of independent singles in the 1980s. Billed as The Wrays, the act released a couple of singles on Mercury Records in the mid-80s before breaking up. Epic Records signed Raye as a solo act in 1990. A year later, the nostalgic ballad Love, Me hit No. 1, and by 2000, he charted 21 Top 10 hits for Epic. His first four studio albums, as well as his Greatest Hits, have been certified platinum. His best-known hits include Little Rock, about a recovering alcoholic, and I Think About You, about watching his teenage daughter grow up.

The First Noel
Collin Raye Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor Shepard's in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel

Then they looked up and saw a star,

Shining in the east, beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from the country far
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel

This star drew nigh to the north-west
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel

Then entered in those wise men three,
Fell reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the kind of Israel

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with his blood mankind has bought

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel

Overall Meaning

Collin Raye's rendition of the classic Christmas carol, The First Noel, tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, and the events and people involved in his arrival. The song begins with the announcement of an angel to a group of shepherds, revealing the good news of the Savior's birth. The significance of this event is highlighted by the fact that these shepherds were considered "poor" and lowly, and yet they were chosen to receive such an important message. The use of the word "Noel" in the refrain, which means "news" or "announcement," reinforces the idea that this is a message of hope and joy for all people, regardless of their background or social status.

The second verse of the song introduces the appearance of a bright and shining star that led three wise men from the east to seek out the newborn King. The star's light was so bright that it shone both day and night, providing a clear and constant guide for the wise men on their journey. The refrain is repeated, underscoring that the birth of Jesus Christ is a momentous occasion, and that the joy and hope it brings are universal.

The final verse tells of the wise men's arrival in Bethlehem, where they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the new baby. By falling to their knees in reverence, they acknowledged the divine nature of this new King, and the incredible significance of his arrival. The song ends with a call for all people to join together in praising the "heavenly Lord" who has given humanity the gift of salvation through his blood.

Line by Line Meaning

The first Noel the angel did say
The angel proclaimed the very first Christmas to the shepherds in the fields.

Was to certain poor Shepard's in fields as they lay
The shepherds who were resting in a field heard about the first Christmas.

In fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
They were resting in the fields where their sheep were grazing and keeping an eye on them.

On a cold winter's night that was so deep
It was a cold and dark winter night when the shepherds heard about the birth of Jesus.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Noel is a French word that means 'Christmas.' Thus, the repetition of the word means 'Merry Christmas' or 'Celebrate the birth of Jesus.'

Born is the King of Israel
Jesus, the Savior, who was born in Bethlehem is the King of Israel.

Then they looked up and saw a star,
The shepherds gazed upwards and saw a bright star.

Shining in the east, beyond them far
The star was located in the east and was a long distance away from them.

And to the earth it gave great light,
The star shone brightly and illuminated the earth.

And so it continued both day and night
The star was visible throughout the day and night.