Hump Day Slow Jam of the Week: Peaches & Herb, "Reunited"

The Singers: Herb Fame and Francine "Peaches" Parker began recording together in the late '60s, but Parker was one of five women to fill the role of Peaches. Linda Greene stepped up to the mic for 1979's 2 Hot, which contained the pair's biggest hit, "Reunited."

The Song: There are plenty of great slow-jam duets out there (we featured Atlantic Starr's "Secret Lovers" a few months back), but "Reunited" sets the standard. The slinky, underwater guitar part sets a dreamy tone that never wavers through the song's six-minute run time. You could argue that the song goes on too long, but aren't slow jams all about prolonging the groove?  



The Video: Today's clip comes from the old Midnight Special program. As usual, these videos are worthwhile for the fashion statements as well as the music: Peaches' hair-beads and hand-held fan say "Cleopatra," while her spangled pantsuit screams '70s housewife. The couple acts out the song's drama on stage, and maybe I'm just prurient, but Peaches seems to simulate fellatio at 2:37 in the video. Judge for yourself. And if you're interested in Midnight Special, the YouTube user with the charming handle "slutcrackhore" has plenty of clips from the venerable late-night show.

Hipster Cachet: The song's hook -- "reunited and it feels so good" -- has passed into the cultural lexicon. It gets trotted out by headline writers and pundits every time a celebrity couple patches things up. I even have a friend who sings the song each laundry day as she pairs long-lost socks. It's not quite as ubiquitous as, say, Marvin Gaye's timeless phrase "let's get it on," but it comes close.  


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