Joni Mitchell's most recent studio album is Shine.
Mitchell wrote and recorded "Big Yellow Taxi" in 1970. Of the song, she said the following: "I wrote 'Big Yellow Taxi' on my first trip to Hawaii. I took a taxi to the hotel and when I woke up the next morning, I threw back the curtains and saw these beautiful green mountains in the distance. Then, I looked down and there was a parking lot as far as the eye could see, and it broke my heart... this blight on paradise. That's when I sat down and wrote the song."
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 them in a tree museum And they charged all the people A dollar and a half 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 they put up a parking lot Hey farmer farmer Put away that D.D.T. 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 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And 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 'Till it's gone They paved paradise And 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 Put up a parking lot They paved paradise And put up a parking lot They paved paradise Put up a parking lot