Picture From Life's Other Side

(Hank Williams)



In the world's mighty gallery of pictures

Hang scenes that're painted from life

There's pictures of love and of passion

And there's pictures of piece and of strife.



There hung pictures of youth and of beauty

And of old age and a blushing young bride

But the saddest of all they don't hung on the wall

They're just the pictures from life's other side.



The first scene is that of a gambler

Who had lost all his money at play

And he draws his dead mother's ring from his finger

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 in shame he might hide

But when they lifted his head they found he was dead

That'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.



Now yet she was once a true woman

She was somebody's darling and pride

But God help her she leaps and there's no one to weep

That's a picture 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

Watching and waiting alone

Just longing to hear from a loved one so dear

Just a picture from life's other side...