i had an uncle name of matthew he was his father s only boy born just south of colby kansas he was his mother s pride and joy yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on love was just a way to live and die gold was just a windy kansas wheat field blue was just the kansas summer sky and 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 growing up a kansas farm boy life was mostly having fun riding on his daddy s shoulders behind the mule beneath the sun yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on love was just a way to live and die gold was just a windy kansas wheat field blue was just the kansas summer sky well i guess there were some hard times and i m told some years were lean they had a storm in 47 twister came and stripped em clean he lost the farm he lost his family he lost the wheat he lost his home but he found the family bible his faith as solid as a stone yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on love was just a way to live and die gold was just a windy kansas wheat field blue was just the 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 this song is sung riding on his daddy s shoulders behind the mule beneath the sun yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on love was just a way to live and die gold was just a windy kansas wheat field blue was just the kansas summer sky yes and joy was just a thing that he was raised on love was just a way to live and die gold was just a windy kansas wheat field blue was just the kansas summer sky