Taylor Swift’s “betty” presents James’s viewpoint in the Folklore love triangle involving “august.”
The three connected songs are “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” “august” follows the unnamed summer girl, “cardigan” follows Betty, and “betty” follows James as he reflects on his actions and attempts to repair his relationship with Betty.
This structure was part of Swift’s fictional storytelling on Folklore. Instead of treating the songs as unrelated love songs, she designed them as linked perspectives on one imagined teenage triangle. The approach encourages listeners to compare details, including the characters’ memories and differing interpretations of the same events.
The titles can cause confusion because “august” is the only one named for the month-like identity associated with the narrator. “betty,” however, is the track tied to James’s point of view, while “cardigan” is associated with Betty’s perspective.