Commodores "Oh No"

Jokes that definitely wouldn't work today: in a scene from the 1983 movie National Lampoon's Vacation, Clark Griswold gets lost driving his family from Chicago to a fictional theme park in California called Walley World. He somehow ends up in South St. Louis, Illinois where he seeks directions back to the highway. The Griswolds drive past numerous burnt-out cars and buildings and various stereotypical African-American characters before a basketball-carrying local offers to help (provided Clark pays him $5). The local ultimately gives him directions to another car where "Jack", his cousin, will help him get back to the highway. While this is happening, the hubcaps from the Griswold's Family Truckster get removed. It's then when Clark's son, Rusty, asks: "I wonder if these guys know the Commodores?". Many years later, the movie's director and former-Ghostbuster, Harold Ramis, apologized for the infamous scene. He explained, "The scene was supposed to be about prejudice, when in fact it is prejudiced."

Buckcherry - "Sorry"

I still cannot hear Buckcherry's melodramatic ballad "Sorry" without also hearing the voice of Marty Moose from "National Lampoon's Vacation".  After driving his family in a metallic pea green station wagon from Chicago to California, Clark Griswold finally makes it to Wally World where he's met by the park's mascot with a note saying to push the button.  One push of the button was all it took to crush Clark's dreams as the moose said, "Sorry folks, the park's closed for two weeks to clean and repair America's favorite family fun park.  Sorry. Uh-hu-uh-hu-uh-hu."

Vangelis - "Chariots of Fire"

Most people associate "Chariots of Fire" with the Griswold's mad dash through the parking lot of Wally World, but the song was actually a #1 Adult Contemporary hit for five (really?!) long weeks in the spring of 1982.