Taylor Swift wrote “august” first among the three Folklore love-triangle songs.
The connected story also includes “cardigan” and “betty.” Each song presents a different perspective on the fictional relationship involving Betty, James, and the unnamed summer-romance narrator of “august.”
Swift developed the songs as part of Folklore’s imagined narratives rather than as direct autobiographical accounts. In “august,” a young woman remembers a brief summer romance with James, who ultimately returns to Betty.
The writing order does not match the songs’ track-list order or their narrative perspectives. “august” was the first of the trio Swift wrote, even though the three tracks collectively reveal the story from different angles.