Folklore Love Triangle Explained | A Chronological Lyrical Analysis of Taylor Swift's Greatest Work

[@chrisnik878]

I hope all of this gets much more popular cause it just makes so much sense

[@isabellak8585]

I am manifesting it will I love her videos she needs to become popular asap!

[@Emmylee213]

I totally believe the whole album is connected, especially with the way Taylor goes from August to Illicit Affairs to My Tears Ricochet on the Eras Tour.

[@irisvls]

YES, IT'S OUT! dude, I love this series sm and I love to know there are more ppl out there who love this album so much. Please never stop doing this

[@parkerjones8875]

please keep exposing the album and the interview ones. your tiktok and youtube are everything i’ve every needed 😊. also love your profile pic it’s so cool

[@audreylikesstuff]

BAHAHAHA the toxic gossip train reference had me rolling! 😂Great video btw!

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

HOW COULD I NOT, I MEAN IT WAS RIGHT THERE 😅

[@PixelWatchesYoutube]

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[@psychovstheworld]

here i am supporting you even tho i’ve watched all your tik toks about this subject! 🥰 i prefere longer form content so i’m so happy you made a video on youtube!!

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

YES it'll be a little while of porting over the main ideas here to YT... i look forward to adding new bits of things i missed here and there to reward the people who are rewatching everything 😅❤

[@squabblebobble]

I’m not even a Swiftie and I find this so interesting. Also the EDITING SKILLS are awesome. Thanks for making this Amanda 🥰🥰

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

Thanks for the feedback!! ❤️

[@sos6780]

this is SO helpful, i will always be a fall girlie therefor a folklore girl, and i saw people talking about this story and i i didn’t understand they storytelling, now i can listen to the album differently! honestly love this content!

[@wittyandwickless-daniellev6544]

I’m so glad this is here! I’ve been patiently waiting because I need a slower and in more depth analysis. I’m here for it. Folklore is my favorite album and I am so ready for this! Thanks Amanda! 🤍

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

Click the notification bell 🔔 to be reminded so we can watch it together on Saturday morning! 😊

[@katlynbreitenbach2107]

My favorite connection between “Betty” and “cardigan” is when James says “I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything” and Betty responds directly in cardigan with “when you are young they assume you know nothing” basically calling out the excuse he used

[@emmadavis4538]

this was so fun desperately awaiting part 2!!!!!! PLEASE do some covers too!!!

[@alrightanakin129]

Came over here from TikTok to see the whole thing. ☺️ Such a good theory.

[@dkwinters16]

lowkey watched way too much on your tiktok about this and i LOVE it.

[@rollinginthedeep6900]

I THINK ABOUT THIS SO MUCH thank you for talking this all out! Such a beautifully told story, thank you for laying out the theories ❤

[@notevenjaden]

FOLKLORE IS MY FAV ALBUM!! THANK U FOR THISS! I hope you can continue making these videos!

[@jessmcwill1568]

I so badly want someone to make this into a book. Then this book becomes one of the greatest pieces of American literature that is studied as an in-school requirement.

[@aprilrmullins]

Love your theories, Amanda! I'm interested in the Evermore story and if it is connected to Folklore's love triangle. Also, your singing voice is beautiful! Looking forward to future videos 😘

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

A lot of people said Evermore IS connected, "stepping on the last train" / "you took the night train for a reason" etc, but I haven't obsessed over it the way I have with Folklore. After I talk about the absolute unhinged madness that is folklore, i plan to move into evermore! 😊

[@TaylorsEcho1323]

Just left tons of comments on your Tik Tok about Blue Blood by Craig Unger and I am w/you 100% & I’m only in chapter 8!!! It is mind blowing-the parallels/coincidences, fascinating.

[@TaylorsEcho1323]

Edith,Rebekah’s daughter, jumped out a window, trying to commit suicide at age 12(💔) and called it her “Peter Pan” moment/PETER LOSING WENDY!

[@TaylorsEcho1323]

August is Jane, Rebekah’s bestie/frenemy from childhood and throughout her life. They grew apart, but why? So far, Craig Unger’s book hasn’t really said, but I’m only on ch 8. THANK YOU for being my person about this!🫶🥰

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

I saw!!! Thanks for theorizing with me, I'm having the best time exploring this album!

[@Sunnybliss13]

I think that the one is James saying “ it would have been fun if you would have been the one” which is then why he goes back to Betty and apologizes because he feels she is the one. I also thing illicit affairs is a big one because “ make sure no one sees you leave tell your friends your out for a run you will be flushed when you return” this makes sense because James leaves the gym dance and gets in the car with Augustine. He is flushed when he is returned because things happen in that car 😂. I feel this is from Betty’s prospective because I can so see her saying “don’t call me kid don’t call me baby look at this idiotic fool you made me!” When James goes to aplogize and I feel she would want to scream that right at his face. The song also says “like you don’t even exist” which I think she means he is cheating on Betty like she does not even exist. Then the song says that “ take the words for what they are” so Betty trusted that Inez was telling the truth because in Betty James says “you heard the rumors from Inez” anyway hopes this makes sense! ❤ your vids

[@Folklore_24]

THIS IS SOO AWESOME TYSMMMMM THIS EXPLAINS EVERYTHINGG

[@tnkbailey]

Omg pls do some covers cause your voice is amazing💜

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

Ok! That won't be most of my content, tbh i dont really wanna be known for music LOL, but i'd love to share some, sometimes, if it's entertaining! 😁

[@tnkbailey]

Yes pls do some and amazing job on this video it was super entertaining💜

[@alexandray888]

forever waiting for this

[@m4rg0ot]

cannor wait for the rest of the songs!!

[@gracemiller7196]

- Betty’s pov: cardigan, hoax, invisible string, seven - James’s pov: Betty, this is my trying - Augustine’s pov: august, mirrorball, the 1, illicit affairs - Betty and James pov: exile Parallels: Cobblestone “high heels on cobble stone”C “Walkin home On broken cobblestone just thinkin of you” B When you’re young/17 “When you are young they assume you know nothing”C “I’m only 17 I don’t know anything but I know I miss you” B “Cause I knew everything when I was young”C Streetlight “Drunk under a streetlight” C “Stopped at a street light you know I miss you” B Cardigan “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone’s bed, you put me on and said I was your favorite”C “Standing in your cardigan” B The one “Chase two girls, lose the one”C He chased Betty and Augustine (the 1 could be from her perspective) Kiss in cars “To kiss in cars and downtown bars was all we needed”C “Kissin in my car again” B Doorstep “And you’d be standing in my front porch light”C “Betty I’m here on your doorstep and I’ve planned it out for weeks now” B “ maybe I don’t know quite what to say, but I’m here in your doorway” TIMT “ you knew the password, so I let you in the door” hoax The other guy “Plus I saw you dance with him” Betty “With his arms around your body…Seen this film before and I didn’t like the ending” exile “ a string that pulled me out of all the wrong arms and right into that dive bar”invisible string Miss Betty “But you would still miss me in your bones” MTR “I know I miss you” B Drunk “Drunk on this pain” MTR “Drunk under a streetlight” C “Drunk as they watch my shattered pieces glisten” M “August slipped away like a bottle of wine” A James was a drunk and that got him entangled with the wrong girl Augustine’s getaway car “Remember when I pulled up and said get in the car, then canceled my plans just in case you’d call” A “She said James get in let’s drive, those days turned into nights slept next to her” B Cliffside “ pull the car off the road to the Lookout. Could’ve followed my fears to all the way down.”timt “Stood on the cliffside singing give me a reason”hoax Crowds-James “And it’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound”TIMT “I hate the crowds you know that plus I saw you dance with him” B “But I showed up at your party”B Film “Flashback on a film reel” timt “I’ve seen this film before” exile “Sunday matinee” the1 “ you knew the hero died so what’s the movie for”hoax Hoodie “Hood over your head keep your eyes down” IA “Hand under my sweatshirt baby kiss it better” C Parking lots “ what started in beautiful rooms ends up with meeting in parking lots”IA “ meet me behind the mall”A Scars-betty “You drew stars around my scars, but now I’m bleeding “ c “you knew it still hurts underneath my scars “hoax Kingdom “You were my crown, now I’m in exile seeing you out” exile “My kingdom come undone” hoax

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

This is pretty close to my interpretation, and while I personally disagree on a few songs/POVs, this is all really awesome research! 😄👏

[@tyagohiee]

OH MY GOD THANKS, i always say all of the song are connected and people look at me like i've said a weird math formula, but, for me at least, it's so obvious

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

We out here doing the lord's work

[@tyagohiee]

@@TheFolkloreTheorist Althought i still can't find a way to relate epiphany to the whole story, so i guess i'll leave that one to you.

[@alkalinebleach1449]

i love you. you are so me it hurts. instant subscriber!!!

[@skibidi.txilet]

SO EXCITED!!!

[@gracie5463]

I love to tell people I’m Betty but I’m most definitely Augustine

[@emreynolds11]

Can u make more maybe one of what songs r about which exs

[@ericgropuis]

I’ve always felt like the whole album was connected and it wasn’t just the 3 songs since it Taylor’s head cannon is more along the lines since she did write all of these songs with others she of course has some sort of narrative connecting all of them. I’ve never been able to really put with what is about what but it just has a lot of these songs I feel like can connect back to the love triangle. invisible string could be how Betty and James first meet each other and started dating, mad women could be how Betty felt after figuring out that James cheated on her for a whole summer, the 1 could be Augustine wishing she could have been with James but of course I have no idea

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

I feel like she made certain connections more obvious than others as a signal "hey, look deeper!" So cool.

[@kristenfarr1700]

I’m loving these

[@noahshighlightreel]

THIS IS AWESOME!

[@robbygates1]

Interesting take on James. I actually don't agree as 17 year old girls are very mature while 17 year old boys are incredibly immature. But, I love your take on this as I believe "Folklore" is the best album of the last ten years.

[@Sunnybliss13]

I think that “the one” is James saying “It would have been fun if you were the one” to Augustine, which is then why he goes back to Betty because she is the one. I also think illicit affairs is connected because Taylor says “make sure nobody see you leave tell you friends your out for a run.” This is James leaving the gym dance and he is flushed when he returns because they do some stuff in the car 😂. Taylor also says “it is born from just one single glance” Augustine pulling up and he glances over and says sure I will come with you. I think illicit affairs is from Betty’s prospective because I can see her saying “don’t call me kid don’t call me baby look at idiotic fool you made me.” When James goes to apologize to Betty. Sorry if this comment makes no sense lol I really hope the creator of these videos see this

[@rochelleengelbrecht5155]

Thank you sm for this

[@beforerio]

please we need explanation for the rest of the album!!!

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

YOU GOT IT! A video (on how we know all the songs connect) will be out in approximately 8 days 🥳

[@beforerio]

@@TheFolkloreTheorist thats amazing!! also, does evermore relate with folklore??

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

@@beforerio it really seems to! At least in some ways. But i havent obsessed over evermore the way i have over folklore, so I'm not commenting much on evermore quite yet. Once i get folklore* out of my system, I'll start on evermore - I'm already writing notes on it hehe

[@beforerio]

@@TheFolkloreTheorist oh my god thats amazing!!

[@JackANDJude]

ok, i do like this line of thinking. The only thing that bothers me is when skateboards were invented. Californians started riding them in the 40's, but Betty was on the East coast. Hmmm.

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

Hey! I fixated on this lol. So while skateboards were PROFESSIONALLY MANUFACTURED and commercially sold in California much later, the REAL first skateboards were actually "underground popular" in the late 20's and early 30's in beach towns as a way to "surf" on land when the tide was low. (Source: Look up "1930 scooter skate", they were also casually called skate boards, and had 3 wheels.) They were commonly homemade by taking planks of wood and sticking wheels on em. They became so popular (but were so hard to homemake properly) that they were later picked up by companies, manufactured, and commercially sold in the 40's and 50's. The rest is history. The line in august "salt air" is enough to convince me that this was a beach town such as the places skateboards were increasing in popularity in the early 30's. If James was the same age as Betty, (same homeroom), and Betty is Rebekah Harkness, they would be 17 in 1932, aka in peak time for skateboards becoming popular in beach towns such as theirs :)

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

The real issue is: why does she say "you meet some woman on THE INTERNET and take her home" or why the lakes mentions cellphones and twitter LOL. Some have theorized that 1) this is a "modern day retelling of historical events" or that 2) Taylor is telling the story with true historical details blended and muddied from her modern experiences. I'm more for #2, but who knows!

[@elladiepenbrock380]

Pleaseeee make a video connection all the songs

[@TheFolkloreTheorist]

A video (on how we know all the songs connect) will be out in approximately 8 days 😁😁😁

[@elladiepenbrock380]

@@TheFolkloreTheorist YAYY

[@Sunnybliss13]

Love this vid

[@krystlesherwood0204]

"Wacky"

[@rochellethiel]

*Promosm*

[@_antifragile]

Tbh I didn’t like the explanation quite well , ok everyone has there own opinion but in your opinion ig August was ignored alot , she deserves better like as she said almost through the entire song that she was just living for the hope of it all , she was vulnerable and even TS told that she was a very kind and sensible girl . My girl August deserves an apology , she definitely deserves better

[@yanyannar]

Thanks for this, Amanda! The video, you, and your explanation don't look like a first timer at all. 🤍🩶🖤