Taylor Swift’s “august” was the first of three Folklore songs in the connected love-triangle story.
The three songs are “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” They portray related events involving Betty, James, and the unnamed female narrator of “august,” with each song presenting a different perspective on the relationship.
Swift wrote “august” first among the three. The song follows the narrator’s brief summer romance with James, who later returns to Betty. “cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective, while “betty” gives James’s perspective and response.
The story is fictional rather than a direct account of Swift’s own life. She developed imagined characters and story arcs throughout Folklore, which is why the songs can be linked narratively even though they are not a literal autobiography.