Which two Taylor Swift songs, besides “August,” complete Folklore’s fictional teenage love triangle?

“Cardigan” and “Betty” complete the fictional teenage love triangle connected with Taylor Swift’s “August.” The three songs present related events from different perspectives: Betty’s in “Cardigan,” James’s in “Betty,” and the unnamed summer lover’s in “August.”

Swift described the songs as part of a story involving a teenage love triangle, with each character viewing the relationship differently. This structure is one of Folklore’s most discussed narrative devices and helps explain why “August” is more than a generic summer song. Its narrator remembers a relationship with James that was intense but temporary, while the other songs revisit the consequences from different angles.

A common mix-up is treating every romantic Folklore song as part of the triangle. Tracks such as “Illicit Affairs” and “Exile” explore relationships but are not the named trio. The answer is specifically “Cardigan” and “Betty,” which, together with “August,” form the three-song narrative often called Folklore’s teenage love triangle.