"Matthew" lyrics - BALSAM RANGE

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