"Mera Joota hai Japani" is a Hindi song composed by Shankar Jaikishan

Shankar Jaikishan

Shankar Jaikishan , also known as S/J, is an Indian music composer duo in the Hindi film industry, working together from 1949–1971....

 and sung by Mukesh

Mukesh

Mukesh Chand Mathur was an Indian playback singer of Bollywood. He, alongside Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar, left such an impact on the Hindi film industry that they are still remembered to date....

. The lyrics of the song are by Shailendra

Shailendra

Shankardas Kesarilal , popularly known by his pen name Shailendra, was a popular Indian Hindi lyricist.-Career as a lyricist:...

. Due to its patriotic themes, the song was widely embraced in its time as a representation of the newly sovereign nation of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The songs first and most famous appearance was in the movie Shree 420 where it was picturised on the popular Bollywood

Bollywood

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 star Raj Kapoor

Raj Kapoor

Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...

. The opening lines are:

Mera Joota hai Japani

Yeh Patloon Inglistani

Sar pe lal topi Rusi

Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani

which translates to

My shoes are Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese

These trousers are English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

The red hat on my head is Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n

But even so, my heart is India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n

The full song is:

Mera Joota Hai Japani Yeh Patloon Englishtani

Sar Pe Laal Topi Roosi Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Mera Joota...

Nikal Pade Hai Khulli Sadak Par Apna Seena Taane

Manzil Kahan, Kahan Rukna Hai,Uparwala Jaane

Badte Jaayen Hum Sailani, Jaise Ek Dariya Toofani

Sar Pe Laal Topi Roosi Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Mera Joota...

Upar-Neeche Neeche-Upar Leher Chale Jeevan Ki

Nadaan Hai Jo Baith Kinare, Pooche Raah Watan Ki

Chalna Jeevan Ki Kahaani, Rukna Maut Ki Nishaani

Sar Pe Laal Topi Roosi Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Mera Joota...

Honge Raaje Rajkanwar Hum Bigde Dil Shehzade

Hum Singhasan Par Ja Baithen Jab Jab Karen Iraade

Surat Hai Jaani Pehchani Duniya Walon Ko Hairani

Sar Pe Laal Topi Roosi Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Mera Joota...

As India was gaining it status as a new sovereign democratic republic nation, this song depicted the professed trend of globalization.

This song gained international fame, particularly in the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

.