"Jonathan, Jonathan
Waterfalls are running thin, you know
Here's a Holy Grail for you to hold..."
The name Jonathan literally translates to "gift of God" from Hebrew. I think the "waterfalls are running thin" bit is a reference to how the advancement of human knowledge has closed the gap between what was previously considered miraculous and/or proof of God, and what is now easily explainable. A waterfall to a man thousands of years ago must have been an amazing sight, and they surely figured that something that massive and beautiful was set there for them by God himself.
The Holy Grail bit has to do with the way many people, in lieu of all the evidence to the contrary still cling to their faith. The Holy Grail is the most sought after Christian relic. To find it would insure that there actually was a God. When Spencer says, "Here's a holy grail for you to hold," he's saying, "Here's something that science hasn't explained away yet. Use it to justify your faith."
The way it's presented it seems to be spoken from God to his creation, or, Jonathan. But given the nature of the song I think it's more likely that this dialogue represents an internal conversation that one has with himself and misinterpreting it to be a message from God.
I like the stanza that reads,
"Jonathan, Jonathan Waterfalls are running thin, you know Here's a Holy Grail for you to hold..."
The name Jonathan literally translates to "gift of God" from Hebrew. I think the "waterfalls are running thin" bit is a reference to how the advancement of human knowledge has closed the gap between what was previously considered miraculous and/or proof of God, and what is now easily explainable. A waterfall to a man thousands of years ago must have been an amazing sight, and they surely figured that something that massive and beautiful was set there for them by God himself.
The Holy Grail bit has to do with the way many people, in lieu of all the evidence to the contrary still cling to their faith. The Holy Grail is the most sought after Christian relic. To find it would insure that there actually was a God. When Spencer says, "Here's a holy grail for you to hold," he's saying, "Here's something that science hasn't explained away yet. Use it to justify your faith."
The way it's presented it seems to be spoken from God to his creation, or, Jonathan. But given the nature of the song I think it's more likely that this dialogue represents an internal conversation that one has with himself and misinterpreting it to be a message from God.
Honestly though, what a great song.