When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

It wasn’t so simple in their minds for the Scottish band to record their No. 1 hit from John Hughes’ 1985 Brat Pack classic.

“Saturday Night Live” was built with a cast of young no-names performing countercultural comedy. Fifty years later, it is firmly part of the culture, dictating mainstream comedy instead of throwing ...