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the saxophones are getting louder

[ thuh sak-suh-fohnz ahr get-ing loud-er ]


What Does The Saxophones Are Getting Louder Mean?

The saxophones are getting louder is a slang phrase used jokingly when a situation — especially a mundane, ordinary one — suddenly feels like it could take a bad turn.

The phrase often appears in social media videos that pair dramatic saxophone music with otherwise normal moments, making them feel tense or doomed. For example, if your boss asks you to “hop on a quick call” at 5 p.m. on a Friday, you might jokingly say, “the saxophones are getting louder” to suggest that you think you’re being fired. 

This internet trend comes from a scene from the 1990s film Boyz n the Hood, where swelling saxophone music foreshadows a tragic moment before a character is shot.


NOTE

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