They paved paradise, put up a parking lot   With a pink motel, 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, put up a parking lot      They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum   And they charged all the people   A dollar and a half just to seem them   Don't it always seem to go   Said you don't know what you've got till it's gone   They paved paradise, put up a parking lot      Say hey farmer, farmer put away the DDT now   And the spots on my apples   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, put up a parking lot      Late last night I heard that screen door slam   And the big yellow taxi took my girl away   Don't it always seem to go   but you don't know what you've got till it's gone   They paved paradise, put up a parking lot      Don't it always seem to go   You don't know what you've got till it's gone   They paved paradise, put up a parking lot   They paved paradise, put up a parking lot   They paved paradise, put up a parking lot