James is the romantic figure Augustine remembers in Taylor Swift’s “august.”
James, Betty, and Augustine form the fictional love triangle spread across “Cardigan,” “Betty,” and “August.” The songs overlap in imagery and events while presenting different emotional viewpoints.
In “august,” Augustine describes a summer relationship with James. The song’s wistful tone comes partly from her realization that the relationship was temporary and that James belonged emotionally to someone else.
Listeners sometimes reverse the characters because “Betty” is sung from James’s perspective and “Cardigan” centers on Betty’s experience. Remembering that “august” is Augustine’s song makes James the consistent answer to the question about her summer romance.