1960s; earliest use found in Thomas Pynchon (b. 1937), novelist. From rowdy-dow.
rowdy-dow2
/ˈraʊdɪdaʊ/
(also row de dow)
exclamation
Representing the sound of the beating of a drum. Now rare.
Originally used especially to represent a spoken or sung imitation of the sound of a military drum..
noun
Noise, din; uproar, disturbance; an instance of this, a row.
adjective
Boisterous; rowdy, noisy.
Origin
Late 18th century; earliest use found in Festival of Momus. Originally apparently a variant of row dow dow. In later use (especially as adjective) probably influenced by rowdy dowdy. With use as adjective compare earlier rowdy.