They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot A pink hotel, a boutique an' a swingin' hot spot Don't it always go to show You never know what you got till it's gone They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot. They took all the trees, they put them in a tree museum They charged the people a dollar an' a half just to see 'em Don't it always go to show You never know what you got till it's gone They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot. Hey farmer, farmer put away that D.D.T. Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds an' the bees, please Don't it always go to show You never know what you got till it's gone They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot. Late last nite i heard my screen door slam A big yellow bulldozer took away the house an' land Don't it always go to show You never know what you got till it's gone They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot ...