“betty” touches on the aftermath of “august,” which describes a summer love that was doomed from the start. Listeners learn that while the summer affair was going on, the speaker, James, was still dating their classmate, Betty.
The song takes a more feminist approach, portraying the narrator as a person named James who can’t own up to their mistakes, all while Betty flourishes on her own and recognizes her worth.
Sonically, the song exudes a strong sense of nostalgia, delivering production and instrumentals reminiscent to Taylor’s earlier projects like Fearless and Speak Now, both of which were records written by Taylor in her similarly naïve adolescence.
“betty” is believed to be the third part of folklore’s “Teenage Love Triangle,” told from the point of view of James. The storyline is preceded by “cardigan” and “august.”
Interestingly, James' gender is never explicitly stated—James and Inez (mentioned in the pre-chorus) are, in fact, the names of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds‘ eldest daughters—leading some to believe that James could be a girl and that the Teenage Love Triangle is, in fact, a sapphic love story.
However, Taylor confirmed James' gender while explaining the song on country radio:
[James] has lost the love of his life basically and doesn’t understand how to get it back…Everybody makes mistakes, everybody really messes up sometimes and this is a song that I wrote from the perspective of a 17-year-old boy. I’ve always loved that in music you can kinda slip into different identities and you can sing from other people’s perspectives. So that’s what I did on this one–and I named all the characters in this story after my friends' kids."
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Betty, I won't make assumptions
About why you switched your homeroom, but
I think it's 'cause of me
Betty, one time I was riding on my skateboard
When I passed your house
It's like I couldn't breathe
[Pre-Chorus]
You heard the rumors from Inez
You can't believe a word she says
Most times, but this time it was true
The worst thing that I ever did
Was what I did to you
[Chorus]
But if I just showed up at your party
Would you have me? Would you want me?
Would you tell me to go fuck myself
Or lead me to the garden?
In the garden, would you trust me
If I told you it was just a summer thing?
I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything
But I know I miss you
[Verse 2]
Betty, I know where it all went wrong
Your favorite song was playing
From the far side of the gym
I was nowhere to be found
I hate the crowds, you know that
Plus, I saw you dance with him
[Pre-Chorus]
You heard the rumors from Inez
You can't believe a word she says
Most times, but this time it was true
The worst thing that I ever did
Was what I did to you
[Chorus]
But if I just showed up at your party
Would you have me? Would you want me?
Would you tell me to go fuck myself
Or lead me to the garden?
In the garden, would you trust me
If I told you it was just a summer thing?
I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything
But I know I miss you
[Bridge]
I was walking home on broken cobblestones
Just thinking of you when she pulled up like
A figment of my worst intentions
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
[Verse 3]
Betty, I'm here on your doorstep
And I planned it out for weeks now
But it's finally sinkin' in
Betty, right now is the last time
I can dream about what happens when
You see my face again
[Pre-Chorus]
The only thing I wanna do
Is make it up to you
So I showed up at your party
Yeah, I showed up at your party
[Chorus]
Yeah, I showed up at your party
Will you have me? Will you love me?
Will you kiss me on the porch
In front of all your stupid friends?
If you kiss me, will it be just like I dreamed it?
Will it patch your broken wings?
I'm only seventeen, I don't know anything
But I know I miss you
[Outro]
Standing in your cardigan
Kissin' in my car again
Stopped at a streetlight
You know I miss you