Taylor Swift’s song “Betty” is the James-perspective chapter of Folklore’s fictional love triangle that includes “august.”
In “Betty,” James reflects on his mistake and attempts to repair his relationship with Betty. “august,” by contrast, follows the unnamed girl involved in James’s summer romance. “Cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective and completes the three-song narrative structure.
The songs are connected by characters and events rather than by a continuous musical performance. Swift used fictional storytelling throughout Folklore, so the names do not identify confirmed real-life people. This distinction is important because listeners sometimes interpret the trilogy as direct autobiography.