"Paperlate" is one of two Genesis songs that features the Earth, Wind & Fire horn section, the other being "No Reply at All", also from the Abacab sessions.

[1] Phil Collins has often hired the group for other projects, including his debut solo album, Face Value.

[3] Dave Thompson of AllMusic said that "Paperlate" was 3×3's selling point,[4] and describes the song as "a horn-honking romp with just the ghosts of '60s soul playing around its chorus and a buoyancy that fed readily into the mood of the U.K. charts of the day.

Dunphy of Popdose commented that while catchy and enjoyable, "Paperlate" is "a definite cousin to 'No Reply At All', both songs employing the same tempo, attitude, and the Earth, Wind, and Fire horn section.

[10] The cover artwork is a homage to the design of The Beatles' 1963 Twist and Shout EP, with similar typography and with the band jumping in the air.