What's The Real Meaning Of August By Taylor Swift? Here's What We Think
Summer comes all year round when you listen to "August" by Taylor Swift. Out of over 300 songs, yes, over 300 songs, that Swift has released, "August" comes at the top of many Swifties' lists.
The track was first released in 2020 when she dropped her eighth studio album, "Folklore," per Billboard. While the song was already amazing when it was first released, it seems to have had a resurgence in popularity thanks to the hit show, "The Summer I Turned Pretty." When the trailer for Season 2 dropped in July 2023, a slowed-down version of the track played over the video, per E! News. Not just that, but "August" has gained immense popularity on the social media platform, TikTok. People have shared their love for the song as they gallivant across the beach or wherever there is space so they can shout the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Famous creators and celebrities like Jimmy Fallon and the band Haim have even participated in the new trend.
Even Swift herself has a soft spot for the song. When August rolled around in 2023, the musician shared lyrics from the track on Twitter. She tweeted, "Get in the car it's August." It feels like the song has slowly taken over the world, and Swifties aren't mad about it. But beyond all the trends and whimsical production from "August," it's the lyrics that have truly touched fans, and we're here to fill you in on what the song actually means.
'August' is about a summer love
There's no question that Taylor Swift is an incredible songwriter, her lyrics set the scene and transport you to her world. For her "Folklore" track, "August," it was easy to picture the scenario Swift wanted you to imagine. The song is clearly about a summer love in which someone longs for the other person, but they don't long for them back. The first verse sets the summer scene as Swift sings, "Salt air, and the rust on your door / I never needed anything more."
The chorus describes how the girl has realized these are all just summer memories now, and the other person never loved her like she loved him. Swift writes in the chorus, "But I can see us lost in the memory / August slipped away into a moment in time / 'Cause it was never mine / And I can see us twisted in bedsheets / August slipped away like a bottle of wine /'Cause you were never mine."
After hearing the song, many fans wondered whether this story about summer love was based on a true story for Swift. However, when Swift released the album "Folklore," she answered fan questions and insinuated she created fictional characters for the album (via Entertainment Weekly). The Grammy-winning musician shared, "One thing I did purposely on this album was put the Easter eggs in the lyrics, more than just the videos. I created character arcs & recurring themes that map out who is singing about who."
Taylor confirmed 'August,' 'Betty,' and 'Cardigan' are connected
There's no need to wonder what "August" is about, because Taylor Swift broke it down herself. During "Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions," the musician explained that "August," "Betty," and "Cardigan" tell the story of a love triangle.
Let's start the song with "Betty," which comes from the perspective of the fictional character named "James." In the song, he talks about a summer love, a.k.a "August," but the entire time he was thinking of "Betty." In "Betty," Swift even writes, "She said 'James, get in, let's drive' / Those days turned into nights / Slept next to her, but / I dreamt of you all summer long." This lyric is referencing the lyric, "Remember when I pulled up and said, 'Get in the car,'" in "August" which is the perspective of the other woman in Betty and James' love triangle.
Swift shared that "Cardigan" is Betty's perspective on the entire situation, and while you may think the girl in "August" is breaking up the couple, Swift reminded listeners that she too is just a girl in love. She said, "August was obviously about the girl that James had this summer with, right? So, she seems like she's a bad girl, but really she's not a bad girl. She's like really a sensitive person who really fell for him." Listening to all three songs tells a complex love story, and unfortunately, the girl in "August" was collateral damage in Betty and James' love story.