Pictures from Life's Other Side
Hank Williams Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the world's mighty gallery of pictures

Hang the scenes that're painted from life

There's pictures of love and of passion

And there's pictures of keys and of 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 of his money at play

And he drowses dead mother's ring from his finger

Which 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

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 baby

As the harbor lights shine and they shiver

On an outcast, soon no one will save

And yet she was once a true woman

She was somebody's darling and pride

God help her she leaps, oh there's no one to weep

It's just a picture from life's other side

Overall Meaning

Hank Williams's Pictures from Life's Other Side is a song that speaks of the ups and downs of life. Williams uses artistic imagery to paint a picture of the world's gallery where scenes of life are portrayed. The first stanza of the song gives the listeners a prelude to the pictures that hang on the walls of the world's mighty gallery. The gallery contains pictures of love, passion, youth, beauty, and old age. However, the saddest of all pictures that hang on the walls are the pictures from life's other side. Williams stresses that these pictures are usually not considered by people as they are heart-wrenching.


The second half of the song describes the two saddest pictures in the world's gallery. The first picture portrays a gambler who has lost his entire fortune, including his dead mother's ring. This ring symbolizes his last earthly treasure, and he stakes it on his last bet. When the gamblers lift his head after he bows it down, they find that he has died of shame. The second, sadder picture shows a heartbroken mother and baby by the river. The baby's mother was once a true woman, somebody's darling, and pride. However, she is now an outcast, and no one is there to help her. She eventually jumps into the river, and there is no one there to weep.


Line by Line Meaning

In the world's mighty gallery of pictures
There are various images that depict different aspects of life


Hang the scenes that're painted from life
These pictures are all based on genuine life experiences


There's pictures of love and of passion
Some of these scenes depict love and romance


And there's pictures of keys and of strife
Others depict difficult times and struggles


There hung pictures of youth and of beauty
Some of the scenes show young people who are attractive and full of life


Of old age and a blushing young bride
Others show elderly people or new brides who are filled with hope and anticipation


They all hung on the wall but the saddest of all
Despite the variety of images, the most tragic ones are the most devastating


Are the pictures from life's other side
These are the scenes that we don't usually see, the ones that show life at its most difficult


Just a picture from life's other side
These images are often overlooked or ignored by those who prefer to focus on more positive aspects of life


Someone has fell by the way
One of the saddest images portrays someone who has fallen by the wayside - lost and forgotten


A life has gone out with the tide
This person's life has ended and their vitality has been lost, leaving only memories behind


That might have been happy some day
This person may have had hopes and dreams for a happy future, which will now never come to fruition


There's a poor old mother at home
Another picture shows a mother who is poor and alone, without any support or care


She's watching and waiting alone
This woman is waiting for her loved ones to return, but they may never come back


Just longing to hear from a loved one so dear
Her heart aches to hear from someone she cares for deeply, but who is no longer around


The first scene is that of a gambler
Another image tells the story of a gambler who has lost everything and is at his lowest point


Who had lost all of his money at play
This man's gambling addiction has left him penniless and desperate


And he drowses dead mother's ring from his finger
The only thing of value he has left is a ring that belonged to his deceased mother


Which she wore long ago on her wedding day
This ring has sentimental value and represents a happier time when his mother was still alive and happy


It's his last earthly treasure but he stakes it
Despite the ring's importance, he gambles it away in an attempt to regain some dignity


Then bows his head that his shame he might hide
Unfortunately, he loses the bet and knows that he has hit rock bottom


But when they lifted his head they found he was dead
Tragically, he has died from the shame and desperation he felt in that moment


Now the last scene is that by the river
The final image portrays a heartbroken woman and her child on the banks of a river


Of a heartbroken mother and baby
This woman is clearly in a lot of pain and her baby is a symbol of her hopelessness and despair


As the harbor lights shine and they shiver
The only light they have is from the harbor, and they are physically and emotionally shivering in the cold


On an outcast, soon no one will save
This woman is outcast from society and has nobody to turn to for support


And yet she was once a true woman
Despite her current situation, this woman was once strong and capable


She was somebody's darling and pride
She had people who loved her and were proud of her, but those times are long gone now


God help her she leaps, oh there's no one to weep
In an act of desperation, she takes her own life, and nobody is around to mourn her passing


It's just a picture from life's other side
This final image is a reminder that life can be cruel and unfair, and that some people are left to suffer alone




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@patrickfrazier864

… In the world's mighty gallery
Of pictures hang
The scenes that're painted from life
There's pictures of love and of passion and
There's pictures of keys and of 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
Now the first scene is that of a gambler
Who's lost all of his money at play
And he drowses dead mother's
Ring from her finger
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
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 soon no one will save
And yet she was once a true woman
She was somebody's darling and pride
God help her she leaps but there's no one to
Weep it's a picture from life's other side



All comments from YouTube:

@calvinjrbrumfield

2023 guy who likes hank more than almost everything on the radio these days

@Jesse-f4j

I grew up on this music my Daddy drank a lot when I was young and this is what he played when he came home drunk R.I.P. Dad I still listen to the same music you did.. George Jones,Charlie Pride,Hank Jr,Loretta Lynn,and the list goes on...R.I.P. Mr Williams your music will live on forever as your son said in Standing In The Shadows..

@walker9749

wish you the best my friend

@lmbrtshrry

My dad did the same. He would sit up at night with his album on repeat.

@karenbritt8888

God Bless you

@lisaparsons4124

Hank Williams Sr a awesome singer and song writer my Dad John Parsons liked he passed away May 19 2002,was66.So sorry about your Dad my condolences

@jayhasselschwert840

You’re not my kid are you?

@robertjenkins6760

I was born in 1951, so I never had the chance to see him in person, but I have listened to him for most or my 70 years. I sang his songs out loud in my youth and love being able to hear him whenever I want to

@LarryLunsford-sp2uj

That. When. I. Was. Born. 1951. July

@dalerayguynes301

Hank Williams is one of my favorite singer song writers I have every album he made Im 37 now I was born in the wrong generation cause Hank is what country music should be I think

More Comments

More Versions