Ann-Marie wrote asking for help with an Italian song that she learnt in English.  Here’s her email…

I remember a song from a record I had as a child about an old woman planting mushrooms in the moonlight. I remember the entire song, including the tune, but I cannot remember what the woman was called. It goes like this:

Out in the moonlight
Old Mother (da DAA da)
Out in the moonlight
Where no one can see.

There she’s planting mushrooms, planting mushrooms.
One for you and another for me.
Two and there’ll be
One for you and another for me.

It continues on for a couple more verses, with the old woman picking the mushrooms, cooking the mushrooms and then serving them. I had a pen pal in Milano about this time, and I think she sent me the album. Several of the songs were in English, and this was one of them.

My sisters cannot even recall this song at all, and it is driving me crazy. I have a friend, a professional singer who does inter-generational programs, and she is always looking for new music. I would love to share this song with her if someone could help me with the woman’s name or honorific.

Thanks,
Ann-Marie

If anyone can help with this song in Italian or English, please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

*****
UPDATE:

Ann-Marie later wrote:

“I found it! I actually Googled the entire first verse leaving the name blank. I found one reference to it. It is Old Mother Villiana, and the site where I found it said they originally learned it in English, too, even though it is an Italian song. I hope someone can tell us more about it.

I know some people with some fairly good recording equipment. I will see if my friend can work up a small guitar arrangement and we will record it for you, and post it on You Tube. -Ann-Marie”