# Question about an obscure 1986 song lyric - What does PGA stand for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548 "2020-06-23T21:31:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/1 "2020-06-23T21:31:12Z")
The Rainmakers scored a minor hit with “Let My People Go-Go” from their self-titled album in 1986. They never did much after that. I bought the album, and there are a handful of really great tracks on it. One track that I wouldn’t describe as great was called “[Government Cheese](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLzFhOslZPM).” It’s basically a rant against anybody who accepts any form of government assistance, painting poor folks as lazy scammers. I didn’t much care for the sentiment back then, and it definitely doesn’t play well today. Anyhow, it starts out like this: _Give a man a free house and he’ll bust out the windows Put his family on food stamps, now he’s a big spender No food on the table and the bills ain’t paid 'Cause he spent it on cigarettes and P.G.A._ So my question is, what is P.G.A. in this context? I always guessed it was like the lottery or something, but could never find confirmation of this. Googling finds nothing but the Pro Golfers Association. The band is from Kansas City, so it probably isn’t a foreign reference. Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![RollOutTheBarrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rolloutthebarrel/32/1649_2.png) [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/2 "2020-06-23T21:41:59Z")
I’ve seen PGA as an abbreviation for pure grain alcohol. It would make sense in context. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/3 "2020-06-23T22:03:53Z")
Seems to go along with the cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/4 "2020-06-23T22:05:56Z")
“Professional Girl Action” ? ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/5 "2020-06-23T22:21:49Z")
Pure grain alcohol would be my first guess. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/6 "2020-06-23T22:35:22Z")
Pure Grain Alcohol seems to make sense. I never would have thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/7 "2020-06-23T22:35:49Z")
PGA is also a type of beer (Perfectly Grand Ale). ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/8 "2020-06-24T02:32:33Z")
Shit, I had that Rainmakers album. That’s a deep cut ---
**Author:** ![FastDan1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fastdan1/32/427_2.png) [@FastDan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FastDan1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/9 "2020-06-24T03:13:30Z")
My Google is failing me. Are you saying that’s a style of beer or the name of a particular beer. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/10 "2020-06-24T05:52:32Z")
I’ve seen it applied to at least one brand of beer(sorry, don’t remember which). Whether this was an official designation or a marketing ploy, I can’t say. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-an-obscure-1986-song-lyric-what-does-pga-stand-for/912548/11 "2020-06-25T05:44:08Z")
Could it be PBR - Pabst Blue Ribbon? Dennis