Taylor Swift’s song “betty” is paired with “august” and “cardigan” in Folklore’s teenage love-triangle story.
The three songs present connected fictional perspectives involving Betty, James, and the narrator of “august.” “cardigan” is associated with Betty, “betty” follows James as he reflects on his actions, and “august” presents the perspective of the girl involved with James during the summer.
The songs are not arranged as a conventional three-part plot with every detail explained directly. Instead, recurring names, images, and emotional connections invite listeners to assemble the larger story.
The lowercase styling of “betty,” “cardigan,” and “august” is part of Folklore’s visual and editorial presentation. “betty” is sometimes confused with “the 1” or “illicit affairs,” but those songs do not form this specific narrative trio.