In the world's mighty gallery of pictures
Hang the scenes that're painted from life
There hang pictures of love and of passion
And there's pictures of sorrow and strife.

There hang pictures of youth and of beauty
Of old age and a blushing young bride
But the saddest of all that hang on the wall
Are the pictures from life's other side.

Just a picture from life's other side
Someone has fell by the way
A life has gone out with the tide
That might have been happy some day.

There's a poor old mother at home
Who's watching and waiting alone
Just longing to hear
From a loved one so dear.
It's a picture from life's other side.

Now the first scene is that of a gambler
Who's lost all his money at play
And he reaches down and takes
His dead mother's ring from her finger.

The one that she wore
Long ago on her wedding day
It's his last earthly treasure
But he stakes it.

Then bows his head
That his shame he might hide
When they lifted his head
They found he was dead.
It's just a picture from life's other side.

Now the last scene is that by the river
Of a heartbroken mother and babe
As the harbor lights shine and they shiver
On an outcast whom that no one can save.

And yet she was once a true woman
She was somebody's darling and pride
God help her she leaps for there's no one to weep
It's a picture from life's other side...