Taylor Swift’s song “betty” presents James’s perspective in the Folklore story connected to “august.” The fictional triangle is completed by “cardigan,” which represents Betty, and “august,” which follows the unnamed young woman.
James is a teenager who has been involved with Betty but spends part of the summer with the narrator of “august.” The songs do not function as a linear plot summary in every detail; instead, each offers a distinct emotional angle on the same imagined events.
“betty” is a folk and country-influenced song from Folklore. Its conversational writing and harmonica-led sound helped distinguish it from some of the album’s more atmospheric tracks.
The character’s name is sometimes confused with the singer’s real-life relationships, but Swift described the Folklore narratives as fictional creations. James, Betty, and the unnamed narrator belong to the album’s invented world.