#thistookmehourslol

[coffeestainedpoems]

Hello, I have a theory! 

It is very much half cooked and I haven't thought it through enough to find loopholes but-

I feel like the songs: the 1, this is me trying, Betty, august, seven and Cardigan all involve the three same people.

James, Betty (who are childhood best friends) Inez (this *can* be a reach but I'm just believing that James mentioned the girl he ditched Betty for in 'betty', because honestly why would Taylor randomly mention an unrelated name?) 

I believe this is the timeline:

It starts with Betty and James and the song seven. This song is from when James and Betty are kids- quite obviously, about Betty falling in love with James who has an abusive father (explains the 'chosen family' references in 'Cardigan' and 'the 1', both girls implying in both songs that they could be James' chosen family, alluding the lack of a "natural" one, or abandonment)

It's about Betty's desperation to save James from the haunted house he lives in (a child's way of reasoning a mad and angry father) 

The girl in the song is Betty, and the kid she's in love with- James. A song about their childhood of sweet teas and tree climbing. This also explains how Betty is "the 1" for James. She's always loved him as she's always 'known' him. 

Next I think 'august' happens. 

A slip up. James' upbringing doesn't make it hard to believe that he can have commitment issues, the kind of thing he has with Betty can scare him into stepping back. Which can also lead into him distracting himself from the fact that he's 'dreaming' about his best friend he has just started kissing in 'dive bars' and his car. Which can lead into a summer fling. 

I love, love, love this song because Taylor has captured the awkward, lovely, confusing teenage love be so beautifully it makes me cry. 

Inez knows James isn't 'hers' but when you're young all you're trying to find is your self worth, and so the juvenile thought of having someone who is "someone else's" can seem very appealing. 

Lyrical easter eggs/ parallels

"Salt air, and the rust on your door, I never needed anything more, whispers of " are you sure?" "never have I ever before" 

This clearly tells us this thing started in summer with party games- Never have I ever the ultimate American fling starter. 

"your back beneath the sun, wishing I could write my name on it, will you call when you're back at school, I remember thinking I had you"

Homegirl's starting to catch feelings, which i feel like wasn't the intentention she started this with. Also school reference. 

"For me, it was enough, to live for the hope of it all, canceled plans just in case you'd call, and say, "meet me behind the mall"

Full disclosure: this isn't a fling for her anymore, she knows he doesn't love her, but she's too far gone to care. 

"Remember when I pulled up and said "get in the car""

Inez took the big step™ and James had the absolute audacity to call her a "figment of his worst intentions"- men deserve zero (0) rights. 

Now we move onto " this is me trying" 

This song describes James' thoughts after 'august'. This fits very well with 'Cardigan', obviously, this is James picking up the courage to go back to Betty. This is him facing his fears.

Lyrical easter eggs/ parallels:

"I didn't know if you'd care if I came back. I have a lot of regrets about that"

Having a hard time believing someone can care about you even after you fuck up? Welcome to the damaged kids club, James. 

"I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere, fell behind all my classmates and I ended up here"

Such clever lyricism, uff, so here James is telling us how he over thought himself a new reality because when he found love and friendship in the same person and- it felt too good to be true. But here is now, following his classmates to a party. At Betty's house.

"And it's hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound. It's hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you"

Need I explain? HE'S LOOKING FOR BETTY. He's also drunk now (explains the huge emotion shift in between Betty and this song)

 

Cardigan (Betty's POV) 

This is Betty after first learning about the rumours, because Inez isn't trying to keep quiet about her and James' summer fling, like, at all (and why should she?) What I like here is how Betty is more upset at James and not Inez, because it might be the more smart and sensible response to someone cheating on you, but it is not a common response that women have in many films and other media formats, they instead start attacking the woman their SO cheats with them on, totally absolving their SO of any malice, which is just plain absurd to me (and Taylor too now, started with BTR now we HERE) 

Lyrical Easter eggs/ parallels:

"I knew you, leaving like a father"

This I think is the biggest and most hurtful sentence Betty says to James, that he's become like his father. And it is so hurtful because it is true.

"A friend to all is a friend to none, chase two girls, lose the one"

Throughout the song we get a certain silent anger emanating from Betty, and rightfully so. I love how Betty attacks James in this song lol.

"But I knew you, playing hide-and-seek" 

"You drew stars around my scars, but now I'm bleedin"

These can be parallels to "Seven", alluding to childhood activities (drawing on each other, hide and seek). And Betty knowing James before anyone. More than anyone. 

"To kiss in cars and downtown bars was all we needed"

Parallel with "Betty"

Next we have : BETTY

This song is in James' POV, after "this is me trying", he's at Betty's party and now he's drunk. Which is why this whole song seems like something James is rambling, a little comical, which would be weird considering that he cheated on Betty- 

Easter eggs/parallels:

"You heard the rumors from Inez, you can't believe a word she says, most times, but this time it was true"

Okay why is Inez being slandered, I don't like this. 

"I was walking home on broken cobblestones"

Parallel with "cardigan" 

"Just thinking of you when she pulled up like,  figment of my worst intentions, she said "James, get in, let's drive"

Parallel with "august" 

"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?"

Parallel with "cardigan"

 "Standing in your cardigan, kissin' in my car again"

Parallel with "cardigan"

So he gets her back, they start kissing again. Also remember this is a very public patch up, he's showed up at her porch, in front of her "stupid" friends. Inez must've been there too, since they go to the same school

 

And it ends with "the 1"

This song is Inez thinking what could've have been if she was "the one" for James and how some greatest love stories are never written. 

easter eggs in lyrics/ parallels

"I had this dream you're doing cool shit, having adventures on your own. You meet some woman on the internet and take her home" 

She's dreaming of James choosing a relative stranger (which Inez is, if you look at it with Betty's eyes) to take home.

Also that he's alone. No best friend. 

 "I, I, I persist and resist the temptation to ask you, if one thing had been different would everything be different today?"

I see this as parallel with "Cardigan"  because in that song Betty says James will be always a part of her what ifs- and he is, just Inez's now.

"In my defense, I have none, for digging up the grave another time". 

Ines apologizing for bringing this up again.

" We were something, don't you think so, Rosé flowing with your chosen family, and it would've been sweet, if it could've been me"

Parallel to "seven", she's saying they could've had their own family. Own James actually liked.