De Gregori first composed the music, then, despite weeks of effort, he initially struggled to come up with some suitable verses.[1] He eventually got inspiration for the lyrics from a newspaper article about a woman who, after working as a human cannonball, decided to leave the circus.[2][3] The song was originally composed as the theme for the film Flirt and was released, along with three other soundtrack pieces, on an EP (then referred to as a Q-Disc) of the same name.[2] The original, more symphonic recording was arranged by Renato Serio and features Mimmo Locasciulli on piano, while in his concerts De Gregori generally opts for a more rock-influenced and guitar-based rendition.[2][3]
