Taylor Swift wrote “august” first among the three Folklore songs about the fictional love triangle.
The related songs are “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” They portray connected events from different perspectives involving Betty, James, and the unnamed narrator of “august.” Swift developed the songs as fictional narratives rather than direct accounts of her own life.
Although “cardigan” opens Folklore and is often discussed first because of its prominent status, it was not the first of the trio that Swift wrote. “august” was the first song she created for that narrative thread, making its writing order different from the album’s track order.