[Verse 1: Adam Duritz]
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot

[Chorus: Adam Duritz]
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

[Post-Chorus: Vanessa Carlton]
Ooh, bop-bop-bop
Ooh, bop-bop-bop

[Verse 2: Adam Duritz]
They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
No, no, no

[Chorus: Adam Duritz]
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

[Post-Chorus: Vanessa Carlton]
Ooh, bop-bop-bop
Ooh, bop-bop-bop
[Verse 3: Adam Duritz]
Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples, leave me the birds and the bees
Please

[Chorus: Adam Duritz]
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot

[Post-Chorus: Vanessa Carlton]
Ooh, bop-bop-bop
Ooh, bop-bop-bop

[Musical Interlude]

[Bridge: Adam Duritz]
Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away

[Chorus: Adam Duritz]
Now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey-na-na, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Why not? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey, hey, hey, paved paradise and put up a parking lot
[Post-Chorus: Vanessa Carlton]
Ooh, bop-bop-bop
Ooh, bop-bop-bop

[Bridge: Adam Duritz, Adam Duritz & Vanessa Carlton]
I don't wanna give it, why you wanna give it
Why you wanna giving it all away
Hey, hey, hey
Now you wanna give it, I should wanna give it
'Cause you wanna giving it all away
No, no
I don't wanna give it, why you wanna give it
Why you wanna give it all away
'Cause you're giving it all, giving it all away
Yeah, yeah

[Outro: Vanessa Carlton & Adam Duritz]
Why do you want me?
Why do you want to?
'Cause you're givin' it all away, hey, hey, hey
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
Hey, paved paradise to put up a parking lot
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la