they paved paradise and put up a parking lot with a pink hotel a boutique and a swingin 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 put up a parking lot they took all the trees put em in a tree museum and 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 put up a parking lot hey farmer farmer put away the 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 it s gone they paved paradise put up a parking lot late last night i heard the screen door slam and a big yellow taxi 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 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 put up a parking lot they paved paradise put up a parking lot they paved paradise put up a parking lot