[2][3] The town and its surrounding area were subject to heavy strip mining throughout the twentieth century and it later became the site of the Paradise Fossil Plant.

Local residents were bought out in 1967 by the plant's operator, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the town subsequently demolished, citing health concerns and plans for expansion.

Soon after the TVA bought the town out, they tore down all the structures and constructed the largest cyclonic fired boiler in the world at the new "Paradise Unit 3".

The lyrics recall the singer's fond childhood memories of visiting Paradise and its surrounding areas, while at the same time lamenting that it has since been ravaged by the effects of strip mining and deforestation.

The song has since been covered by musicians such as John Denver, Dwight Yoakam, and Sturgill Simpson, as well as a number of other famed artists.

A park overlooking the Rochester Dam in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky was renamed in Prine's honor in 2022, paying homage to his strong connection with the area.