In the United States it held the number-one position on the Billboard singles chart for twelve weeks,[3] from November 6, 1943, to January 22, 1944.

The success of the song represented something of a revival for the group after a few years of declining sales.

The author Jack London Riehl wrote that Black was "a pianist, who augmented his income by boxing.

'"[6] On February 18, 1942, The Mills Brothers recorded "I'll Be Around" by Alec Wilder as their new single, with "Paper Doll" as the B-side.

A review in Billboard on May 16 called the song "more pleasing" than the A-side of the record but ended, "Little here save for Mills fans at particular locations.