Taylor Swift's secret 'Cardigan, August, Betty,' trilogy (Music Producer Reaction)

[@becauseisaac]

Of Ashes the musical concept album written by my sister Anna Brown. It's truly incredible. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4KveJeZn7aha6csi=DyiVqG3izsW7WUuy

[@ankitakandpal7012]

@becauseissac .. i think someone is falsely portraying you and sending telegram invite to talk. I got it twice now with the name @mrbecauseissac

[@write2inspiresome1]

Thank you so much for sharing Anna's concept album! Colors is beautiful! I also appreciate you openly sharing your belief in Christ out here. My son's name is Isaac and he's my biggest miracle. I am a HUGE Swiftie. I have a lot of thoughts about JM and WCS song. Mainly, she regrets the inappropriate age gap between 19 and a 32-year-old man that drew her in, took what he wanted, played mind games, and dropped her. Now in her 30s herself, she realizes how wrong it all was. I think she wrote it when she was 32 - not entirely sure. Folklore, Red and Midnights are my favorite TS albums - she has gone on record to say she shifted gears from autobiographical songs to creating a fictional landscape with Folklore. The Eras Tour was the best live show I have ever seen, hands down. She is finally getting the credit she deserves for her talent and work ethic. And, if you haven't already, watch her award-winning All Too Well Short film that she wrote and directed - absolutely incredible. Really enjoy your videos! Good luck to Anna with her album!

[@KarenDanielaGonzálezElizondo]

Sure I will listen to it, thank you for sharing your album

[@lindsayduet5658]

the difference between "just a summer thing" in Betty and "so much for summer love" in August is painfully beautiful, how differently James and Augustine saw the summer fling

[@peterrogers9867]

🙂🙂🙂💔💔💔

[@abdullahjaved0330]

Wow I never paid attention to that

[@elsa1885]

😢😢😢💔💔💔

[@sam_sa09]

Augustine is at fault too

[@peterrogers9867]

@@sam_sa09 yep... she hooked up with someone elses man 🙂

[@renata05]

Betty was just a girl who was betrayed by her boyfriend, Augustine was just a girl who fell in love and wanted love in return, and James was a stupid boy who hurt the hearts of 2 young girls. simple.

[@iteachlit]

“He was a fool.” 😆

[@Amber.28.]

Nah Betty was betrayed, August was selfish and James broke 2 girls hearts

[@angellilica451]

​​@@iteachlit"his a fool"-Taylor Swift Pond Session

[@beatricewilliams3620]

@@iteachlit "I'm the writer and I'm saying it. He was a fool." I am a James hater.

[@iteachlit]

@@beatricewilliams3620 I definitely find him the least sympathetic of the three characters, by far.

[@noelleanches8638]

peter losing wendy also means to me like she was ready grow up and james still uses being young as an excuse for his mistakes

[@lauramachado6571]

how have i never thought about that, thank you for putting this out!!

[@AnnaMiriamBrown]

Sooo you’re brilliant

[@jarrhoo]

Exactly!!...also "you put me on and said I was your favorite"...he "put her on"(pretended...like a lost boy!) And why a Cardigan? Out of all sweater types?...possibly because you have to button it up...and if she's saying "when I felt like an old Cardigan" she's saying when she felt buttoned up, closed off, protective, and careful. Then he'd lie and say she was his favorite to get her to string along thinking the relationship was secure.

[@littlemissneverseen]

The parallels between “When you are young they assume you know nothing” and “I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything” I saw someone say that’s a reflection of how we don’t take young women seriously because of their age but for young men, their youth is an excuse for their immature behavior. On point.

[@hannahjoycuozzo]

Which perfectly pairs with “Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy”. In my mind that highlights that he lost her because he couldn’t grow up and him going to her party is him trying to change the “ending”. He continues to make the excuse of being young and, in turn, is resisting growing up.

[@asthagupta6865]

Ohhhh LORD I am dying 😭😭😭😫😫🫠 The things you guys are explaining Is hitting me so hard🫠😭

[@heloisagomes1139]

And when she says: "cause i knew everything when i was young" in cardigan too

[@bgranger_842]

Fantastic conclusion. I think that's exactly what Taylor meant

[@LaVie6]

Damn. Her lyrics are poetry.

[@TSFSNRNERLFEM]

notice how Augustine is just repeating the whole chorus all over again while Betty sings a whole new lyrics for every chorus bcs she know James so much (presumably for years) while Augustine only know James for just one Summer

[@anjalishah2925]

that's a good theory. but i believed "seven" to also be from August's perspective, remembering and kind of mourning the friendship she had with James. "Though I can't recall your face, I still got love for you". I'm relatively a new swiftie tho so I don't know as much.

[@arilyons6587]

When I listen to the whole album I always think so many of the songs could be along the same story line of the 3 of them… like illicit affairs could be augusts next part, my tears ricochet could be Betty’s part 2 and then this is me trying is James years later dealing with the regret. But I know they’re not connected

[@nafaz6886]

@@anjalishah2925 wait no that actually made sense

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

@@arilyons6587they are connected if you want them to be

[@richardbennettiii7182]

Now we know. Cardigan was really about Matty healy and so is illicit affairs. Well i wonder what does that say about Betty and August? Is Taylor Augustine then who is Betty?🤔

[@peterrogers9867]

In betty at 2:47 " she said james get in " and in august at the exact time 2:47, augustine said " get in the car " in betty at 3:14 " betty im here at your door step " and in cardigan at 3:14 " and you'd be standing in my front porch light " taylor really is a mastermind fr ... Genius

[@estrellasalazar5329]

i was going to say this!!

[@therose_youtube]

This is f**ing amazing. I love Taylor so damn much. She’s so brilliant. Truly a mastermind

[@ChuChuOnTheTrain]

and for the first one 2 + 4 + 7 = 13, she's a literal mastermind

[@windyseddon]

Omg wow I didn’t realise this THANK YOU XX

[@aerisss_asf]

Yooo that’s actually so coolll 😭😭

[@emmavink]

James is the villain.... Full Stop. It's fking toxic to suggest that dancing with someone else entitles the other person to cheat.

[@AnnaMiriamBrown]

Agree

[@britterapple]

100% this made me mad. Where does it say Betty and James aren't official?

[@triciahartis9153]

EXACTLY!! Thank you!!!

[@laurastatton1411]

I feel sad for augustine I know that feeling of loving someone and not getting the same in return

[@ashleyfaitthhh]

but augustine is also because she picked up her childhood best friends boyfriend most likely fully knowing that he was taken

[@nafaz6886]

the point of the trilogy is that none of the girls are the villains, the real villain here is james. and if u notice in both of the girls song is that they never rlly blamed each other, but rlly blaming james. and also dancing with someone is not worst than actively having a fling on the side just bc he’s a “17 year old boy who doesn’t know anything”. edit : yes ofc none of characters are villains i worded that wrong. and ofc the girls also have their faults (dk about betty tho all she wanted was to dance but ig that’s wrong) but at least they admitted it and fully took the blame and didn’t point fingers (ehem james). and tbh my views haven’t changed on the trilogy but yeah i just wanted to say that james is not the villain, he’s the asshole.

[@bunnyxxie]

yeah, and I also feel like augustine's song really carries a lot of blame on it, she's not only blaming James but also blaming herself and pointing all the stupid things she's done for him.

[@tinadill284]

I feel, James takes the full blame. But the other girl also takes a bit. Augustine knew he had a GF.

[@lae01]

Honestly, 17 is definitely old enough to know that cheating is bad lol

[@RonyChatter]

Betty- ignored james ,danced with someone else, leaving her boyfriend alone and lonely. James- cheating on his partner, treating augustine as 'nothing' and being such a foolish Augustine- indulged in a relationship with James even when he was with Betty clearly Betty and James both are problematic. Betty ignored him all the time and was careless about the relationship(taking James as kinda granted) while James had s*x for a whole month with another girl and made Betty and Augustine feel like sh*tty. On the other hand, Augustine was maybe unaware or just wanted to support James. She was such a sweetheart who helped James find himself again after the breakup and in return, what did she get?? cancelled plans, treated like a nonsensical 'thing'?? I support Augustine.

[@enestezi]

Honestly, Betty is a bitch and James is jerk but Augustine is just a hopeless romantic who fall in loves with wrong person at wrong time.

[@somewhereonlyweknow2814]

Betty dancing with someone at the school party is definitely not worse than James actively having sex with someone for an entire month behind Betty’s back. lmao Let’s be freaking for real. It’s so “””funny””” how we hold girls/women and boys/men to completely different standards. James is NOT a baby and he does not need to be babied. He KNEW what he was doing lmao If Betty had been fucking a different guy for a whole month behind James’ back and broke little bitty baby James’ poor little heart, the reaction would not have been “awwww poor Betty. James is the villain because he was dancing with someone”. No. But that is the reaction for James. How…….. interesting lol (Also, I know this is a fictional storyline and obviously none of this is real and doesn’t matter in real life. So I’m only reacting to the story - even though you can make very real parallels with how people act/react in real life in situations exactly like this…).

[@jodil7]

I feel this. We baby men. I haven’t listened to this all but if she calls one of these girls a villain, I’d die.

[@jodil7]

I wouldn’t call ANY of them “villains” but the one that ended up with James is the woman I pity because he was selfish & didn’t really choose either woman. He chose himself & getting laid for a summer when he knew Augustine was in LOVE. He also knew he could get Betty back whenever he wanted….so did he realllllly choose either girl? He chose himself & hurt both girls. Period.

[@melissaescalante16]

That also rubbed me the wrong way, like wdym Betty is the villain and y'all feel bad for Augustine and baby James 😂 like let's be so fr for one second

[@AnnaMiriamBrown]

FRICK JAMES. For real

[@estelalima8438]

THIS

[@thedarklordofall6792]

"playing hide and seek" is a double meaning. The song references child like behavior throughout for a reason. But here when she says playing hide and seek, she's referring to him sneaking around with augustine.

[@mehr0x]

I was looking for a comment on her hide and seek remark. I don’t think we should take its literal meaning. It’s a way to describe a relationship that is one-sided or imbalanced.

[@traceye.6428]

Yes yea yes !! I came here to say this, but you said it well!!!

[@noemicristalperez3718]

Omg I just typed this up so fast when I heard them taking it literal lol 😅

[@giulia6344]

Yesss! Playing hide and seek, only giving Betty his weekends

[@rafaeltavares584]

Augustine came up and said "get in the car" and they took off... You know, nothing good starts in a getaway car. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kirtisinha404]

😂wooww good point

[@ciaramathis2835]

This comment just changed the game fr 😮

[@_Liiin_]

😮

[@whos.abb13]

How tf is betty the villain.. all she did was dance with someone. who tf cares. meanwhile james is over here hooking up with another girl for a month yet Betty’s the villain? weird.

[@Amber.28.]

Plus she only danced with the guy cause James was nowhere to be found he literally says it himself

[@heatherkingston1445]

And in the video Betty wasn’t wrapped around the guy. There was enough room between them to let the Lord Jesus between. Her hands were on his shoulders. 🥹

[@knight9040]

​@heatherkingston1445 😂😂

[@camilanormandia7059]

It's so horrible to think that Augustine keeps repeating the same phrase all the time because it's the only thing she has of him, that frozen moment in the summer that meant a lot to her and nothing to him.

[@the_piano_nerd4960]

Yeah - I definitely didn’t read it as James being too introverted a baby boy to dance. Maybe she wanted to dance with him and he was too cool and didn’t want to humor her? I totally read Betty and Augustine as the victims in this. Feeling some insecurity definitely doesn’t justify betrayal of someone you’re in a relationship with and taking advantage of someone else’s sincere feelings for you. James was a selfish fool who left a ton of collateral damage around him. Hard pass on this take, imho. That said, everyone can have their own interpretation since it’s all subjective and ambiguous anyway

[@AngelicaGarcia0717]

100% agree! James doesn't sound like an introvert to me. He sounds like he was nowhere to be found because he is "too cool for this" and "so annoyed at it all" like a typical teenager and betty just wanted to dance her favourite song! What's wrong with that? James definitely sounds a bit immature

[@victoriap.3394]

same - i always interpreted james as being the sort of “loner, too cool for school dances” type of guy. in the “where it all went wrong” part of Betty, i pictured it as Betty being excited that her favorite song was playing and wanting to dance with James, but since he bailed on her and was “nowhere to be found” Betty danced with someone else because she didn’t want James to ruin her night. it seems that Betty always showed up for James and put most of the effort into the relationship but James couldn’t be bothered to do anything in return for her. Plus, when James is ‘apologizing’ he doesn’t even take accountability for what he did, pinning most of the blame on the August girl. it was all “she did this” instead of ”I did this” and he acted like he had no free will to turn down the August girl’s advances. He could’ve easily said “no, i have a girlfriend” but instead he led the poor girl on all summer. He’s an unreliable narrator and he definitely downplays his role in what actually went down. so it’s super important to read between the lines and i don’t think the ppl in this video did that 💀

[@littlemissneverseen]

They were all teenagers. If you’re gonna excuse James behavior because of his age, you have to excuse Betty’s (who did nothing wrong btw)

[@mayadrachmann5138]

@@victoriap.3394 yess i agree also the way his apology was just kissing Betty infront of her friends and assuming that would patch her broken wings and fix it all?? Like james no, a kiss isn't gonna fix shit and also calling all her friends stupid won't do ya any good either💀💀 lmao sometimes i really just wanna sit down and have a loooonggg conversation with the boy😭

[@mmicant]

Agree. James is a skater boy, 🤪too cool for dance🤪

[@BigD151065]

Also notice that Betty, James and Inez are the names of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ daughters. Blake and Taylor are longtime friends.

[@becauseisaac]

Woah did not know that

[@zesstra4587]

Betty is also the toddler voice at the beginning of Gorgeous.

[@C-Iris]

​@@zesstra4587It was James voice is the 2017 version of Gorgeous

[@tiffylew]

When James tries to blame Betty because she knows he “hates the crowds” and she’s dancing with friends and a DANCE I want to strangle him. Use your words, James. Don’t storm off and take advantage of the next shinny thing you see. Also, when he ask “will it patch your broken wing” makes me so angry. Betty replies that her father left her and then James cheats. Is that her brokenness he’s referring to ? Are those the scars he drew starts around only to make her bleed again ? I do have some sympathy for James, but only with the context of possibly other songs actually being from his POV.

[@marg8747]

why would anybody think that betty is the villain

[@doctorateinmadison]

Because instead of being with the person she apparently loves at the dance, she’s inside enjoying herself while she knows that James is outside alone and uncomfortable

[@marg8747]

@@doctorateinmadison no way she’s having fun and ignoring the guy who cheated on her how dare she 😱

[@heatherkingston1445]

@@doctorateinmadison Actually James admitted he was “no where to be found” implying he had not even arrived at the dance yet. I wouldn’t have waited either when my favorite song came on. Dancing with someone else because your bf is ghosting you is not cheating.

[@richmaxmchalliwchester1984]

Another small detail is that both Cardigan and Betty are way more describing than August which is implying that Betty and James knew each other for much longer time that James knew Augustine who had only that one summer with him. I must feel sorry for Augustine, she even lost her virginity with him just so he would stay with her. She really hoped that after summer he would eventually choose her, but he didn´t and went back to Betty. She also called James "Summer Love" while James called her "just a summer thing".

[@sam_sa09]

How do you know that..?

[@canaya1719]

@@sam_sa09lyrics in the song August- “whispers of are you sure? Never have I ever before”

[@sam_sa09]

@@canaya1719ahhh but tbh I can’t feel bad for her. She knew he was seeing someone

[@iteachlit]

@@sam_sa09True-but it was real for her (Taylor covers this in the Long Pond-film? documentary?), which makes this story complex.

[@valentinaarteaga5919]

So sad:(

[@BigD151065]

And notice that at 2.37 on both August and Betty she sang “get in the car”. True genius.

[@becauseisaac]

That’s great 😄

[@newabbmantics]

@@Barry--Allenit was 2:37 not 2:38

[@zenitsu2528]

2:47* not 2:37

[@whos.abb13]

@@newabbmanticsit was actually 2:47. 2+4+7=13.

[@Barry--Allen]

that's correct!!! 2:47

[@bornfromstardust1526]

Bruh, James messed up big time. How's dancing with someone can be considered flirty? Just because James got jealous because of it doesn't mean it's a valid reason to cheat.

[@chiarabonometto5722]

actually cardigan is older betty looking back on the relationship with james 20/30 years later. you should watch the folklore long pond studio sessions, taylor explains it better! she also states that she believes that betty forgives james and they end up together in the end. betty is james' apology to betty hence the teenage feel the lyrics have, while august is augustine looking back on the summer with james

[@mm_A]

Hearing that she thinks Betty forgave him slightly ruined the songs for me. He chose to get in the car and cheat. He leads another girl in for months. He uses her dancing to her favorite song as an excuse. He lies about it. She has to hear about it from her gossipy friends. Says that when he was having sex he was thinking of her - so gross. And she thinks he’s her soul mate and forgives him?? Ugh😂

[@dessieangel1021]

@@mm_AI agree. I really was wishing Betty would not take him back. She knew he would come crawling back, but it would’ve been a power move for her to say no to that bullshit and say that was wrong and not take him back.

[@raffaeledivora9517]

​@@mm_AThat's basically what forgiveness is though. Think about the definition. It's something that you (may) do when someone hurts you, even deeper, but you actually believe they're sorry and learned their lesson. If you don't, you wouldn't forgive them. Obviously in TS's mind, Betty believes what James says in his song, so not forgiving him doesn't make much sense. Sure, it be a power move... but what is power worth in personal relationships? If you pursue that, that's how you become bitter and manipulative, not a good way to be

[@hollowlight1]

​@@mm_Ahmm tbh ig if Betty were a real person I bet she knows it's partially her fault as well so that's why when she saw James' effort still trying to come back to her even though she knows it's part of the consequences and tries to make the relationship works out, she is like sure. And for some reason, I saw James keeps chasing Betty for her forgiveness and she's really into it, idk Taylor said something along with she likes to see men apologize 😂

[@mm_A]

@@dessieangel1021 I would love to hear a mashup of Betty and Should‘ve Said No 😆

[@lukeknight9826]

The trio is iconic!!! Betty explains it all in the best way possible

[@LK-lz6lk]

Might I add, Illicit Affairs as Augustine's perspective when she's older (similar to Betty in Cardigan.) I see Cardigan as looking back as an adult but August & Betty still teenagers.💔❤️‍🩹💞

[@midnightsatpeace4492]

Augustine will forever have my sympathy, she was the girl who was used and left behind by a reckless boy. Also I would love to see you react to "'Tis the damn season" and "Dorothea", which are two songs on Taylor's ninth album, "evermore", and they are both connected in a very interesting way.

[@mm_A]

Right?! He slept next to her but dreamed of Betty??? That’s the grossest rationalization of cheating!!

[@Amber.28.]

Anyone who feels bad for august more so than Betty are just toxic

[@iteachlit]

@@Amber.28. Betty, then Augustine. No sympathy for James.

[@idasiek]

I felt bad for both of the girls.

[@AnushkaGroen]

Watched because of Taylor but I stayed for Anna. That song was so beautiful... Definitely going to listen to it again!

[@becauseisaac]

Anna’s incredible

[@1969fairymoon]

The shadow in the grocery line is also another Peter Pan reference. He was always losing his shadow and Wendy would have to sew it back on. I do believe they were childhood friends as well. It just fits.

[@nogoodnameleft]

This reaction video is going to have a lot of views because the trilogy is confusing to understand at first...Glad that Anna is there to explain what is going on here.

[@becauseisaac]

Seriously!

[@kamskamera1684]

he is not a sensitive little baby. he was clearly not introverted, "will you kiss me on the porch in front of all your stupid friends?" that is not an introvert that is a horrible guy who knew what he was doing the whole time. y'all babying him is disgusting. i'm seventeen and introverted and i would NEVER cheat on my partner. her dancing with probably a friend does not condone him sleeping with another girl alltogether. if you listen to the lyrics you can literally hear how he told augustine exactly what she wanted to hear so she would stay with him for the remainder of the summer. betty was a sad gf who's bf didn't care enough about her and then CHEATS on her. Augustine is the girl that was used and toyed with by a boy she thought loved her but he just wanted her for $ex. James is a horrible manipulative child who likes to use girls, HE IS THE VILLAN. Augustine and Betty are victims.

[@clapyourhanz7742]

EXACTLY. It gave me major ick when they made Betty the villain when in fact it is James whose unbearable and whose apology sucked bad.

[@lae01]

That’s because the patriarchy has conditioned people to defend men for objectively shitty things, while also being conditioned to condemn women the second they make one little misstep. And Betty didn’t even do that. It’s a throwaway line taken out of context so James can use it to justify cheating. Women are also inclined to coddle men like they’re babies when they’re doing bad things. The woman in this video is simply a pickme

[@RatZero]

Just watching your sister just going through all the emotions again, after probably listening to this trio a thousand times. 😌

[@greenfox42]

16:30 that line always makes me feel extra bad for Augustine cus it alludes to her losing her virginity to a guy in love with someone else. 😢

[@becauseisaac]

So sad 🥲

[@nmknomad]

Feel bad for Agustine?! She knew he was taken. He knew he wasn't single. They both did Betty wrong. Even at 17, Betty knew "When you are young, people assume you know nothing" ..and then bridge..."I knew everything when I was young." The only thing that doesn't sit well is the implication at the end of Cardigan that Betty might take James back since they are adults in the Cardigan version.

[@iteachlit]

@@nmknomadTaylor says in the Long Pond Studio Sessions that she believes they wound up together. Funny that she says “believe”-they’re her characters, but she speaks of them as though they’re real and she’s just writing about their story.

[@greenfox42]

@@nmknomad still feel bad for her giving up her V-card to someone she hoped was falling in love with her throughout the summer. Plus James heart was taken, not his relationship status.

[@akodo77]

@@nmknomad unless Augustine is Betty's good friend, she has no obligation to her. It's always fair to fight for your love - it's on James to turn her down, because he has an obligation towards Betty to stay faithful. You can't steal someone who doesn't want to be stolen.

[@아이린의비주얼]

The way james said its just summer thing and august said its summer love, got me dying

[@angiehh516]

Before I became a full blown Taylor Swift fan…I loved Cardigan solely for its vibe. Now that I’m fully engulfed in this world…I think James is the villain in this particular story. I love August as well. Cardigan stands as my #1 TS song to this day. Folklore is just a masterpiece. 🤯

[@kennethangelovelos5993]

I think Ms. Anna misunderstood Betty about the 'dance thingy', because right from the first line of the song, Betty moved to another class due to James infidelity during summer, so her dancing to another boy that time is kind of idk (Poor guys who was chose by Betty to dance with, because we don't know the full context if he is a rebound or a friend of Betty). If you're in Betty's position, you can't obviously choose to dance your bf whose cheating on you that summer right. So i think maybe Yes James is introvert, but the context there is Betty choose to dance with another boy, because maybe she can't just forgive James that time. Idk if my words are right, but that's how I understood the song😅. I also want to highlight that Betty's is not the villain, and no one's a villain between the three. It's just people making mistakes because of love and for love.

[@scoobydoobybooks]

first off, watching isaac slowly become a swiftie has become my favorite thing. first video i watched of his was his first taylor video, and every new one posts up for me. with this, i have now subscribed. hoping for more taylor videos from you!!!!

[@tinadill284]

Ssammeee it’s always fun watching someone become a Swifty 😂😂

[@MBella123]

Cardigan is gonna be forever my favorite song from all her discography. I just love it so much 💜

[@nogoodnameleft]

Cardigan is one of the greatest songs ever written. How has Taylor not won a single Grammy Song of the Year or Record of the Year? They think we are satisfied with 3 Grammy Albums of the Year, which are super nice, but she deserves at least one Song Grammy and one Record Grammy.

[@paolaespada]

i actually went back and listened to “this is me trying” from james’ perspective and my mind is blown

[@AnnaMiriamBrown]

RIGHT!?

[@RobGamesOn]

That song you guys wrote/produced... that sounded incredible. Just thought id show appreciation for it.

[@becauseisaac]

there's so much more! Look up Anna Miriam Brown here on youtube. you wont regret it.

[@RobGamesOn]

@@becauseisaac will do!

[@bountybar]

Betty is easily my favourite Taylor Swift song. Why? Well, I'm 65 now but I was a 17-year-old boy once. The regret lingers even now.

[@DouaeRajai]

🥺🥺

[@me1123581321]

Duuuude i just got a connection to "illicit affairs" as well! The taylor lore goes deep, man

[@petergabriel8961]

She really went into the studio and was like this is going to be the best album of my career

[@TheJennzzy]

It’s so interesting to me how differently you interpreted the story, because obviously we don’t have the whole context. But to me the story is, that James and Betty were together and were each others prom dates. He couldn’t be bothered to spend time with her („I was nowhere to be found, I hate the crowds you know that“) and she danced with someone, who was probably just a friend (at least in my head). Instead of talking to her about it James left her there, hooked up with Augustine over the summer and Betty found out because Inez told her. James wanted revenge and distraction, which is why he only describes Augustine as a „summer fling“, while for her it was much more than that („so much for summer love and saying us“). She really loved James and had her first time with him („whispers of 'are you sure?', never have I ever before“) and was desperate to be with him, ditching plans in case he calls, asking him to keep in touch with her once he goes to college and everything. What makes it even worse to me is James attitude in „Betty“, talking about her „stupid friends“, how he wants to „patch her broken wings“ by getting back together with her, thinking she switched her room because of him and never acknowledging Augustine at all, saying what he did to Betty was the „worst thing he ever did“, disregarding the whole time he spent with Augustine as a fling, insinuating that she was the one who made him cheat on Betty and saying that while he slept with Augustine he only ever thought of Betty. True villain behavior 🥴

[@Ricky48888]

You should have him watch the long pond sessions of the three songs with the interview portion. He can see them play the instruments too.

[@nogoodnameleft]

Isaac should watch some acoustic Taylor songs. Her acoustic performances, which sound like 1990s MTV Unplugged sessions, are even better than studio versions.

[@Ricky48888]

@nogoodnameleft yes that too.

[@frode1316]

A, B, C. In that order… Cardigan is Betty looking back.

[@bp717]

I took hide and seek, giving me your weekends to mean he was leading her on, juggling other girls, here for the weekend, dive bar, back of cars, hookups, never committing. She truly loved him and he told her what she wanted to hear and hurt her repeatedly over many years. Never changed. He might have made her think they had a future but would run off for various reasons.

[@bp717]

James wasn’t committing to Augustine either. At least she was aware of that. Betty waited for his deadbeat ass for years and was used like a worn out cardigan and tossed under the bed when he was done with her, dug back out when he was ready again. 🥺

[@marlene1708]

Betty dancing with someone does not equal James sleeping with someone else. How is Betty in the wrong????

[@NathalieElias-mj1lc]

i love the song colors!!! omg imma be checking the album out.

[@vivlund]

I became a Swiftie after listing to Cardigan. I loved the music and lyrics and “you’d come back to me” makes me tear up every time

[@sadisticsierra9338]

i love how taylor writes these songs in a way that demonstrates the personality and maturity of the characters. Their different takes on the same situation is so gorgeous. I would also argue that “the one” and “illicit affairs” should be added to the story line. they create more depth to the events and feelings of the characters as part of the story arch. “illicit affairs” after august and “the one” at the end.

[@rainyamosher]

Anna & Isaac, I am so glad you all did this! When I watched the original 5 song react video, I believe I said to the screen "but you don't have the full context!" The day I realized the three songs made were part of the same story in music, I listened to them back-to-back on repeat enjoying the whole package! It was the week before my daughter and I went to the Eras Tour and I was preparing by watching videos and listening to songs. In the music video for Cardigan, she ends in the cardigan and then the music video for evermore's opening track, Willow, starts with the same image and then the golden string that mirrors the golden light from the piano/piano bench in Cardigan. It makes me think that maybe, just maybe, James, Betty, and Augustine get to live happily ever after as adults in their own version of happy (whatever that looks like for them.)

[@dell_is_aesthetic]

I just pointed this out to my daughter yesterday about the cardigan and willow videos yesterday!!!

[@anneklapste770]

The story begins with Exile, having just listened to the album once. Betty and James are childhood friends. She's wanted them to be more but he's been on the edge, maybe not wanting to change best friends to lover. She gave so many signs and he just left her hanging. That's why she walked to the dance.

[@sarastuemke3500]

I want a short film of these three songs and in this same order. ❤

[@rafaeltavares584]

One year ago I was at the same place as you. Taylor Swift for me was just a cringe thought of shake it off. Then someone told me "you gotta listen to 'maroon', it's gonna change your mind". I was VERY impressed by the production! Then the Swifties started recommending me tons of songs and I ended up caught in this great pyramid scheme that is the swiftie world... Long story short, I attended 2 concerts of hers in Rio last November and I loved every minute of that! (Even when she played ME! as a surprise song on my second show 😅)

[@nelly1823]

a king everybody..a king!

[@squarebarrel]

Also, think of Illicit Affairs and invisible string for Augustine. If you really think outside of the box the whole album can be pieced together in the story.

[@AstatineIodinePotassium]

The 'colours' song was definitely the best part of this video I really like the song and their voices

[@rebeccatorres9092]

Great break down of the folklore love triangle! Favorite lyric is from cardigan, "peter losing wendy", brings a tear to my eye every time! Colors, WOW! Beautifully written and sung, thank you both for sharing, great work!

[@emsyhartshorne8357]

God James is an asshole. He refuses to take responsibility for his indiscretion and blames his infidelity on Augustine being a temptress, he shows up at Bettys party and makes it all about him again, and insults her friends.... and thats before we start to look at the words used in August and how they very much show that James was leading her to believe their connection was something more than what it was. Even when he's talking about being at the school dance, hes looking for excuses for why he cheated, like its Betty's fault for wanting to dance and have fun.

[@wysbs]

in my head The 1 and Illicit Affairs are extensions of this storyline haha. you should listen to it!

[@saintwolfie9108]

Since the first time i heard 'august' i felt like it reminded me of something else, not just the theme but sound and feelings over all. Just last week i was listening music on shuffle and the Natalie Imbruglia's version of Torn played and it clicked for me, i only know tears now

[@shreehazra1669]

James is sleeping around betty's back being in a relationship with her cuz he was butthurt she did a little dance with some one else and betty is the villain ? So much for smashing patriarchy 😂 (i know its all fictional but this just goes to show the mentality)

[@hannahjoycuozzo]

Looooving all the Taylor content! Especially with Anna in the mix! It’s the perfect mix of a first reaction to a song and then a deeper dive. Thanks for making these awesome videos 😊

[@becauseisaac]

It was tons of fun!

[@victoria.n7055]

Folklore is just such a beautiful album and the trio is just so well-written !!! Also your song is beautiful will definitely check this out (i'm just a big fan of musicals!!!)

[@lavanyasingh6516]

Well does being Extrovert means being a crackhead? Does dancing with another boy gives your boyfriend permission to sleep with another girl? I mean why blame Betty she did nothing wrong it was James he messed up.

[@KarenDanielaGonzálezElizondo]

OMG, i have always suspicious about being more songs from this love triangle in the folklore album, as well as in evermore and its characters. I LOVE YOUR SISTER

[@genekineret]

The song that you write/produced is really lovely ❤ thanks for sharing

[@miguelpolanco6289]

I just LOVE these videos!!!!!! Keep them coming. I love how Taylor writes her music songs, huggggeeee fan

[@mhfromnh1421]

James is the worst. Augustine was probably just a girl at the beach town his family went to and he lead her on.

[@renata05]

I feel so sorry for her, clearly she just fell in love with someone who only used her

[@rofobowman]

When I heard him slam August, I was about to comment when I saw this video on the sidelines. So glad you did the trilogy!

[@zebzamboni]

The first few lines of Cardigan are probably autobiographical references to her previous albums. Vintage tee - Debut Brand new phone - Fearless High heels on cobblestones - Red When you are young they assume you know nothing - Speak Now Sequin smile - 1989 Black lipstick - Reputation Sensual politics - Lover

[@iteachlit]

Interesting idea, but you’d have to put Speak Now and Red out of order for this to work. (And I’m not sure why Red would be “high heels on cobblestones…”?)

[@EnPee91]

I’m sure this is true but Speak Now and Red are swapped. In fact I’ve seen others say the whole love triangle is a metaphor for Taylor losing the rights to her music and getting it back again which I also believe is true.

[@panduindrabaskara1625]

At one point in my life i was Augustine, so the line "Wanting Was Enough" hits me like a red hot crowbar to the chest

[@jasccp]

“Plus I saw you dance with him” Sounds like James trying to make his act of cheating tolerable or fair, which does not at all compare lmfao, I hate James.

[@HarLynCad]

Chasing shadows in the grocery line is also another reference to Peter Pan

[@marissaelder7761]

I'm pretty sure Taylor says somewhere that Betty and James actually do end up together and Cardigan is her point of view from when they are older, but ended up together... I THINK! Lol. :)

[@nogoodnameleft]

I love that Taylor during Folklore/Evermore was optimistic regarding love like she was in her Debut/Fearless eras. She became incredibly pessimistic on love starting with the Speak Now era.

[@alyaahmed2790]

but James says "I was nowhere to be found" and then goes on to say that Betty was dancing with another guy to her favorite song. So i dont get how Betty is the villain.

[@rhiannonsummers6943]

One of my favourite bits of commentary on this trilogy is the difference in content / phrasing between cardigan and august - in cardigan, as Betty had known James for a lot longer, there's a lot more detail and description (think of the bridge) as she's remembering it all, whereas Augustine only really knew James for a short time, so august has a lot more repetition and goes over the same moments more often (get in the car, meet me behind the mall, for the hope of it all)

[@katrinakilburn3316]

I’m Augustine. Augustine is me. It brought back being young and thinking I love someone who never reciprocated those feelings. But maybe used me to try and get over someone else.

[@vanessadavismusic]

Wow, a musical theatre writer - that’s so cool! I’m often told that my piano-led songs sound like musical theatre. I really enjoyed the original song! ❤😊

[@TheTorturedPoetEnjoyer]

Actually James is the asshole here cause he played with 2 girl 😂😂😂

[@MrEnriqueleonardo1]

Tis the damn season and Dorothea are another amazing duo off Evermore

[@luiza_dias]

no bc i get the hatred for james and everything but why is no one talking about their musical? amazing work oh my god! i hope everybody can hear this cause it is definitely a piece of art. congratulations for your work guys! truly an experience and thank you for showing it to us. i’ll be listening to this nonstop for sure 😂❤

[@estrellasalazar5329]

We also switch a lot: Wanting was enough / One thing was enough Cause it was never mine/ nevermind :) Meet me behind the mall/ Meet me behind THEM ALL and it all makes sense

[@LesaLardner-Brown]

That was a cool video guys - once I knew it was a trilogy I went back & Relistened & it changed my perceptions BTW The piece you played from “Of Ashes” - oh my; that was breathtaking. Lin Manuel Miranda needs to see this - I think he would just love it

[@becauseisaac]

There's so much more! Look up Anna Miriam Brown here on youtube.

[@CalliBadger]

I’m like 🤯 right now. I’m not a huge swiftie but I really enjoy these 3 songs and I had no idea they were related omg

[@KikiS377]

You are aware that James, Betty, and Inez are the names of Black Lively and Ryan Reynolds kids.

[@erinwyckoff4346]

I have such a different narrative in my head of what happened in these stories. Betty and James were dating, but summer came and James spent it at the beach with his family while Betty was back home. James had his “summer thing” with Augustine, then went back to school where Inez found out and told Betty. James and Betty broke up, which is why Betty was dancing with another boy at the welcome back dance. James was pissed so he left the dance and started planning on how to win Betty back.

[@liv_love_equine9824]

Thats exactly how i thought it was

[@elizajoisreading]

YES. Exactly.

[@enbybunny6827]

"i don't know anything but i know i miss you" sounds like an excuse from james while "when you're young they assume you know nothing" from betty's perspective seems like it's an understanding for her, not an excuse.

[@michaelduggan9347]

I am so glad that you brought Anna in for this. I just watched your reaction to the 6 Taylor Swift songs and almost yelled at my computer when you dismissed August. But this is awesome. Also, side thing that everyone else probably knows: I was talking to another friend who is kind of, shall we say, obsessed with Ryan Reynolds and she mentioned that his kids are named Betty, James, and Inez.

[@Sp00kyN3rd]

You need to listen to Marjorie! It's a song abour her grandmother who died when she was a teen. Marjorie was an opera singer who had dreams of a music career like Taylor has. It will break your heart in the best way.

[@deborahgrabien3125]

In my ending to the story, Betty and Augustine ended up as a happily married couple and they both booted James.

[@KarenDanielaGonzálezElizondo]

What a beautiful song it is Colors, guys, I teared up a little

[@heatherkingston1445]

70’s and 80’s rock bands used to do music like this. Telling epic stories on their albums. Queensryche comes to mind with their album, Operation Mindcrime.

[@aliciamcinnis5030]

Gotta listen to RONAN...You want to really apreciate Taylor and how well she can write especially the abilty to not only tell a story but to step into anothers shoes and truly feel and say what someone feels with only knowing them from a small blog she found and read about them briefly. Shes an unbelievable masterind unlike another and doesnt get the recognition she truly deserves alot of the time! Please you and your sister listen again together and react please!

[@yasminfinoti]

You should also react to Illicit Affairs and My Tears Ricochet, both beautiful, deep songs from folklore (folklore is such a masterpiece)

[@GusElliott]

What a supremely talented family

[@cherli8480]

colors--vocals are crazy. delicate is definitely the word id use

[@GLUTEN4051]

The hide and seek thing is about James going behind her back kinda thing

[@DylanLovesBrenda]

I definitely think Betty and James were together together

[@Popgoesthejennie]

It’s always fun to hear other songs that tie back to these three. Illicit Affairs (being my favorite of the album), really shows how much Augustine really loved James, even if it was a high school thing. I know Taylor said James and Betty ended up together but I hope one day for Augustine to get her happy ending.

[@emmaj8337]

im obsessed with the sibling dynamic & humor btw yall 😭

[@AlwaysOpera]

Loving your videos. I would suggest you listen to Epiphany (Folklore) is absolutely heart wrenching; in the first verse she sings about the tragedy of the soldiers-crawling up the beaches. The second verse captures the horror the hospital staff felt-it begins with “something’s Med-school did not cover”. Then listen to “Carolina” which was written for the movie “Where the Crawdads Sing”. Finally listen to “The Lakes” (Folklore)