The song was the breakthrough in the singer's career, winning the 31st edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, and being an international commercial success.

[4][5] The title Per Elisa is a reference to Ludwig van Beethoven's composition "Für Elise", whose musical theme is reprised in the intro of the song.

[5] The lyrics on surface tell the story of a love triangle from the point of view of a betrayed woman, but according to many critics actually refer to drug addiction, with the Elisa of the title being a code name for heroin.

[3][4][5][6] In this interpretation, rejected by both Alice and Battiato,[4][5][7] the song was included in the soundtrack of the Claudio Caligari's 1983 drug-themed film Toxic Love.

[6][8] The structure of the song has been described as "unusual because it lacks a refrain, but equally catchy thanks to several melodic hooks and a smooth mainstream sound".