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 hung pictures of youth and of beauty
Of old age and a blushing young bride
They all hung on the wall but the saddest of all
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
She's watching and waiting alone
Just longing to hear from a loved one so dear
Just a picture from life's other side.

The first scene is that of a gambler
Who had lost all his money at play
Needs all 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 he bows his head that his shame he might hide
But 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 no one will 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 just a picture from life's other side...