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 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
You 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 they put up a parking lot
I say, they paved paradise and they 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 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've got till 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've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and they put up a parking lot
Oh, no, no, paved paradise and they put up a parking lot
Hey, steam rolled paradise and put up a parking lot

Copyright: RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Writer(s): Joni Mitchell