What Is the Soul of Man?

Song Meaning

Sister Rosetta Tharpe's insistent question, "What Is the Soul of Man?" isn't a Sunday school platitude; it's a raw, blues-infused existential howl. The song, built on a simple call-and-response structure, circles a fundamental human mystery. Tharpe isn't looking for a theological textbook answer. She's after something more visceral, a truth that resonates in the gut and the spirit, not just the intellect. The repeated questioning, the almost frantic plea to "tell me right," reveals a deep yearning for understanding in a world that often offers only dogma or empty platitudes. Her relentless touring, as referenced in the lyrics, underscores this quest; she's literally searching the landscape and its people for an answer that remains elusive. The lyrics themselves acknowledge the inadequacy of easy answers. She's "read the scripture," consulted with others, and found only conflicting opinions. One person suggests the soul is "nothin' but his mind," a reductionist view that clearly doesn't satisfy Tharpe's deeper hunger. This highlights a central tension: the soul, if it exists, may be beyond definition, residing in the realm of feeling and experience rather than concrete knowledge. The guitar solos punctuating the verses serve as more than mere musical interludes; they are wordless expressions of this ineffable quality, attempts to articulate what language cannot fully grasp. Tharpe's guitar becomes a stand-in for the soul itself, a voice crying out in the wilderness of unknowing. Ultimately, "What Is the Soul of Man?" isn't about finding a definitive answer. It's about the act of questioning itself. Tharpe embraces the ambiguity, finding power in the persistent search. The song becomes a testament to the human drive to understand our place in the universe, even when faced with the limitations of human understanding. It's a bluesy, gospel-tinged exploration of faith, doubt, and the enduring mystery of what makes us human, delivered with the fiery conviction that only Sister Rosetta Tharpe could muster. The song's meaning lies not in a pat resolution, but in the passionate, unending pursuit.