They paved paradise 

And 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 them in a tree museum 

Then they charged the people 

A dollar and a half just to see 'em 

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 



Hey farmer, farmer 

Put away that 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've got 

‘Til its gone 

They paved paradise 

And put up a parking lot 



Late last night 

I heard the screen door slam 

And a big yellow taxi 

Come and took away my old man 

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 



I said 

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 paved paradise 

And put up a parking lot 

They paved paradise 

And put up a parking lot