They paved paradise, put up a parking lot with a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spot,
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

They took all the trees and put 'em in a tree museum,
And then they charged all the people twenty-five bucks just to see 'em,
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT now,
Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please,
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,
I say, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and they put up a parking lot.

Late last night I heard the screen door slam, and a big yellow taxi carried off my old man,
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and they put up a parking lot,
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone'
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,
Oh, now, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot,
Hey, steam rolled paradise and put up a parking lot.