hey 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 till 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've got till 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've got till it's gone 
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot 

Don't it always seem to go 
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone 
They paved paradise and 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've got till it's gone 
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot 

Don't it always seem to go 
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone 
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot