# "It's quiet." "Yeah, a little TOO quiet." - origin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501 "2004-07-16T22:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/1 "2004-07-16T22:53:22Z")
This was used more than a few times in MST3K. Does it come from an actual movie? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/2 "2004-07-16T23:39:00Z")
I don’t know where it comes from, but it’s gotta be _old_. It was already a cliche back when they were using it in gags for Bugs Bunny cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/3 "2004-07-16T23:53:10Z")
Probably originates way back in antiquity. Abel: It’s quiet. Cain: Yeah, a little TOO quiet! [Whack!] Pharaoh at Red Sea: It’s Quiet. Some other Egyptian: Yeah, a little Too quiet. [drown] Jesus: It’s quiet. Satan: Yeah, A little TOO quiet! [tempt] ymmv, maybe some other ancient “events”? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/4 "2004-07-17T00:07:31Z")
Michael: It’s quiet. God: Yeah, a little TOO quiet! (creates universe) ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/5 "2004-07-17T00:17:28Z")
It comes from parents with young children in the house. Vlad/Igor ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/6 "2004-07-17T00:58:42Z")
I always thought it was from “The Untouchables” TV show. Or am I confusing it with “that’s just what they’re EXPECTING us to do…” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/7 "2004-07-17T01:06:28Z")
Just so’s we’re all clear on this: The point of the line “Yeah, _too_ quiet!” is that the normal sounds of the night (these scenes usually seem to be at night) that you’d exect to hear – birds, crickets, etc. – _aren’t_ present. The reason they’re not present is because _something_ is sneaking around out there in the bushes, and that’s spooking them. So the second guy is saying that the absence of ambient noise suggests lurkers. The absence of something you expect is itself a clue. Kinda like in the Sherlock Holmes story “Silver Blaze”. That said, I’ve _never_ heard this line spoken seriously – only as the lead-in to a joke. I’m sure it was used for real somewhere, and it was clever before it got overused. But damned if I know where. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/8 "2004-07-17T01:10:21Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#): > > Or am I confusing it with “that’s just what they’re EXPECTING us to do…” And don’t call me Shirley. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/9 "2004-07-17T01:16:11Z")
Japanese guy: It’s quite. Mayor of Hiroshima: Yeah, a little TOO quiet! [boooom!] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/10 "2004-07-17T01:49:34Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Jesus: It’s quiet. > > Satan: Yeah, A little TOO quiet! [tempt] That’s damned funny! ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/11 "2004-07-17T03:59:11Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > That’s damned funny! Signed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/12 "2004-07-17T06:15:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > like in the Sherlock Holmes story “Silver Blaze”. “Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?” “To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.” “The dog did nothing in the night-time.” “That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/13 "2004-07-17T06:19:29Z")
Donatello: Hey, it’s Raph! Michaelangelo: Yeah, a little TOO Raph. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/14 "2004-07-17T06:27:11Z")
I remember it from **The Big Chill** , William Hurt and who? Jeff Goldblum? ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/15 "2004-07-17T11:48:02Z")
Somehow I formed the impression that it was a cliche used in old silent films and early talkies, the ones where the Intrepid Explorer or Big Game Hunter is creeping through the jungles of Deepest Darkest Africa with his Faithful Sidekick, and suddenly the drums stop. Faithful Sidekick: It’s quiet. Intrepid Explorer: Yes. Too quiet. (ambushed by a Horde of Stereotypical Early Hollywood African Natives who hoot loudly and dance around with spears while they drag our heros to the cooking pot to parboil.) I have no idea where this idea came from. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/16 "2004-07-17T15:19:35Z")
I’m guessing it comes from an old western. Cowboys sitting around the campfire at night. Things get “too quiet” just before the Indians attack. Anyhow, that’s the scene that always comes to mind whenever I hear the exchange. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/17 "2004-07-17T15:26:50Z")
(Is it from The Searchers, maybe?) ---
**Author:** ![PussyCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@PussyCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PussyCow)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/18 "2004-07-17T15:39:44Z")
(with thick Romanian accent): “Children of the night… shut up!” ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/19 "2004-07-17T15:52:11Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > Somehow I formed the impression that it was a cliche used in old silent films Moviegoer 1: 'It’s quiet." Moviegoer 2: “A little TOO quiet.” Al Jolson: “Maaaaammmmmmyy…” ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501/20 "2004-07-17T15:55:38Z")
I always thought it was from [Fort Apache](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040369/), but it’s not in the “Memorable quotes” section on the IMDB. But _Fort Apache_ is the origin of > [@](#): > > Lt. Col. Thursday: > I suggest the Apache had deteriorated since then, judging by a few of the specimens I have seen on the way out here. > > Captain Yorke: > Well, if you saw them, sir, they weren’t Apaches. I looked at _Stagecoah_ and all of the other usual suspect John Ford westerns, to no avail. I also did a google search, to no avail. It’s quiet out there on the interweb… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-quiet-yeah-a-little-too-quiet-origin/255501.md?page=2)