had an uncle named matthew Was his father's only boy Born just south of colby, kansas Was his mother's pride and joy Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on Love was just the way to live and die Gold was just a windy kansas wheatfield Blue, just a kansas summer sky All the stories that he told me Back when i was just a lad All the memories that he gave me All the good times that he had Growin' up a kansas farmboy Life was mostly havin' fun Ridin' on his daddy's shoulders Behind a view beneath the sun Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on Love was just the way to live and die Gold was just a windy kansas wheatfield Blue is just a kansas summer sky Well, i guess there were some hard times And i'm told some years were lean They had a storm in forty-seven A twister came and stripped them clean He lost the farm and lost his family He lost the wheat and lost his home But he found a family bible Faith as solid as a stone Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on Love was just the way to live and die Gold was just a windy kansas wheatfield Blue, just a kansas summer sky So he came to live at our house And he came to work the land He came to ease my daddy's burden And he came to be my friend So, i wrote this down for matthew And it's for him the song is sung Ridin' on his daddy's shoulders Behind a mule beneath the sun Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on Love was just the way to live and die Gold was just a windy kansas wheatfield Blue, just a kansas summer sky Yes, and joy was just the thing that he was raised on Love was just the way to live and die Gold was just a windy kansas wheatfield Blue, just a kansas summer sky