Most of the material on the album was written specially for Patty by some of the most renowned Italian songwriters, such as Franco Battiato, Ivano Fossati, Francesco Guccini, and Enrico Ruggeri, as well as young artists Alex Baroni and Rosario Di Bella.

[4][5] "Les Etrangers" (French for "Strangers") is a cover of "Merci bon Dieu", written by Frantz Casseus and first released by Harry Belafonte on his 1957 album An Evening with Belafonte.

[6] "Les Etrangers" was released as the lead single accompanied by a music video filmed in a mine located in Cagliari, Sardinia.

The song was performed at the Festivalbar with "Strada per un'altra città" (Italian for "Road to Another City") which in turn served as the second single, followed by "Emma Bovary" later in 1998.

Notti, guai e libertà met with positive critical reception and is regarded one of Patty Pravo's best works.