a third album was recorded by the group, the project called "conversation", but it was shelved for decades, finally released in 2014 as part of a larger retrospective of james' work. however, a single was released from the project in 1986, a cover of the frankie valli & the four seasons hit "walk like a man" which was heard in the film "a fine mess". this single charted at number 41 on the billboard hot 100. another single, "shadow lover", was also released in 1986, and the mary jane girls appeared on "soul train" to lip-sync to it, but the single was not promoted by the label. ghant obtained other work in 1986 when james and motown were in dispute, since the mary jane girls had no label support. the mary jane girls officially disbanded in 1987.