Vampire Weekend, 'Giving Up the Gun' -- Video Premiere
- Posted on Feb 19th 2010 12:00PM by Linda Laban
- Comments (55)

Fans can now add "ace tennis player" to the list of Jake Gyllenhaal's many talents. The actor is part of a superstar cast for Vampire Weekend's new video for 'Giving Up the Gun,' which also brings together another fine tennis player, Joe Jonas, as well as Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and Lil Jon. The clip is a stylish but decidedly weird dreamlike sequence where Vampire Weekend video muse Jenny plays the tennis game of her life.
The surreal quality stems from Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig's original inspiration. "I was stressed out one night worrying about the video and an image popped into my head of our friend Jenny (who's also in the 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' video) playing tennis against a samurai. It grew from there," Koenig tells Spinner.
Sound-wise, the song is one of Vampire Weekend's more straight-ahead pop tunes, but with driving, delicious percussion. "Our goal has always been to give the songs what they need," Koenig says. "Sometime our songs need marimbas or AutoTune, and sometimes they just need a big beat."
Koenig and Co. worked with the video's directors, the Malloy Brothers (Sheryl Crow, Oasis, the White Stripes, Jonas Brothers) on the casting, but they already had some good ideas of who should appear in this vignette. "I was pretty surprised it all worked out," admits Koenig. "We always thought RZA would be perfect. We'd been in touch with Lil Jon since the first album. He heard the reference on 'Oxford Comma' and sent us some cases of Crunk Juice. Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal were both excellent -- lot of improvisation and some surprisingly powerful serves." Despite that, it's Jenny who eventually wins the day.
"'Giving Up the Gun' just means turning your back on aggression and selfishness," Koenig explains of the song's concept. "The heroine of the video isn't an amazing tennis player, but she has heart. She stays calm despite the unfairness of it all." Check out the exclusive premiere below.






Reader Comments(1 of 3)
Spikelee3000at 2-19-2010
AWESOME.
Lizat 2-19-2010
LOVE it across the board.
And Joe Jonas is my pop [non-guilty, never guilty!] pleasure and I am glad they 'deigned' to include him. Because he rules.
Good stuff. Nice work!
Natashaat 2-19-2010
Joe Jonas + Jake Gyllenhaal = EPIC WIN
Triciaat 2-19-2010
i loooove this song/video
appylover18at 2-19-2010
i find this song to be boring, it needs more excitement
Mrs.JoeJonas!!!!at 2-19-2010
OMJ Joe did sooo awesome!!!!! ahhh he looked sooooo HOT, and those legs gahhhh!!!!!! I love this song also!!
clarissaat 2-19-2010
i love it :) joe jonas, the song and the video, perfect !
Someoneat 2-19-2010
Brilliant.
Triciaat 2-19-2010
I just love this song- it is my favorite off on Contra! I like this video. But I think Ezra Koenig and Jake Gyllenhaal are 100% more hot attractive than Joe Jonas!
Rileyat 2-19-2010
Yeah! I totally agree with you Tricia.
Mayraat 2-19-2010
haha, I love the lyrics, its pretty awesome, and Joe..is super amazing as always :)
i've never heard of vampire weekend..but I think i'll get hooked to them soon :D
Katherineat 2-19-2010
That was just an awesome video! An added bonus for me was Joe Jonas. I just love him, especially in shorts :)
Trishaat 2-19-2010
I lovvveee this song! Its amazing... Just to make it even more amazing they put in Joe Jonas :) he just added on to it :D :D
Onkaat 2-20-2010
perfect song, perfect video :))... this girl is sooo cute :)) and joe too
Serene Millerat 2-19-2010
AHHHH JOE!!! I love it!!! Joe Jonas makes the whole video worth watching!!!!
alexisat 2-19-2010
joe was awesome, he made the video rock! after that chick beat him and he shook her hand, he WIPED IT OFF!!!!
Mckenzieat 2-19-2010
OMJ! LIKE FOR REAL ??? JOESEPH ADAM JONAS IS SIMPLY AMAZING & COMPLETELY MADE THIS VIDEO BETTER! WITHOUT HIM IT WOULD BE QUITE BORING :/
Jonas Brothers Fanat 2-19-2010
I love Joe Jonas he is awesome and so hot
Rosa Phanat 2-19-2010
lol Joe Jonas was the first one and he looked funny with those shorts on lol he was only in the beginning of it but o well
Nazeefaat 2-19-2010
I've been a Vampire Weekend fan from the start and they've always made the most original music videos. This is no exception.
The video is amazing!
Its really cool that they incorporated Lil Jon, Jake Gylenhall and Joe Jonas in it. Again, all three are Awesome!!
Vampire Weekend rules.