Taylor Swift’s “betty” completes the Folklore love-triangle trio with “august” and “cardigan.” The three songs present connected fictional events from different perspectives involving James, Betty, and the unnamed girl in “august.”
“august” follows the girl who experiences a brief summer romance with James. “cardigan” is associated with Betty’s perspective, while “betty” presents James reflecting on his actions and seeking reconciliation. Together, the tracks form one of Folklore’s most discussed narrative devices.
The trio is sometimes described as a trilogy, although the songs are separate album tracks rather than chapters in a formally titled work. “willow,” by contrast, belongs to Evermore, Swift’s next studio album, and is not part of the Folklore storyline.