Radoo, Radoo, Radoo- unknown (NY) c.1883
[From Bodleian online dated 1877-1844 by R. March & Co., St. James's Walk, Clerkenwell, London. Reprinted from unknown US source. Also W. S. Fortey's "The Popular Songster" and in W. S. Fortey's "Yankee Barnum's Songster" [no date but circa 1890].
As "Radoo, Radoo, Radoo, or, May this World go well with you." Words from a Creole Song, Music by Bessie O’Connor. Arranged for the Guitar by Walter Redmond. Pub. Francis, Day and Hunter, 195, Oxford St, London. New York, T B Harms & Co. 18 east 22nd St. 1893.
According to several sources including the 1893 Bessie O’Connor version, Radoo is a Creole word for "adieu." In the fictional 1888 book, "The Right Honourable" it was called "a genuine plantation song." According to the authors, Radoo was learned by Zenobia from a "Southern States woman" who heard it sung on plantation presumably before the Civil War. It was called a Civil-War song and was the African-American "attempt at adieu."
There are two stanzas (two and three) that are vaguely related to the Died for Love songs and their relatives ("Must I Go Bound.)" I assume, although there is no concrete proof ii was written before 1883, that "Radoo" pre-dates "There is a Tavern in the Town" and was used to create the chorus of "There is a Tavern" which follows:
Chorus: Fare thee well, for I must leave thee,
Do not let the parting grieve thee,
And remember that the best of friends must part, must part.
Adieu, adieu kind friends, adieu, adieu, adieu,
I can no longer stay with you, [stay with you],
I'll hang my harp on a weeping willow tree,
And may the world go well with thee.
R. Matteson 2017]
Radoo, Radoo, Radoo (Adieu)- unknown composition of around 1883. Has a similar first verse as the chorus of "There is a Tavern in the Town."
Radoo, radoo, kind friends, radoo, radoo, radoo,
And if I never more see you, you ,you,
I'll hang my harp on a weeping willow tree,
And may this world go well with you, you, you.
Shall I be bound, shall I be free, free, free,
And many is de girl dat don't love me, me, me,
Or shall I act a foolish part,
And die for de girl dat broke my heart, heart, heart.
Give me a chair and I'll sit down, down, down,
Give me a pen, I'll write it down, down, down,
And every word that I shall write,
A tear will trickle from my eye, eye, eye.
Radoo, radoo, kind friends, radoo, radoo, radoo,
And if I never more see you, you ,you,
I'll hang my harp on a weeping willow tree,
And may this world go well with you, you, you.