diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
index d54ebf6372..767c787297 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/metrics.ini
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ MaxComboZoom=0.0
 LifeFrameX=320
 LifeFrameY=36
 LifeFrameExtraY=442
+LyricsX=320 // this point is the center of the text line
+LyricsY=370
 ScoreFrameX=320
 ScoreFrameY=448
 ScoreFrameExtraY=32
@@ -867,7 +869,7 @@ OniScoreDisplay=Toggle whether the score in Oni mode displays Dance Points or th
 SongGroup=Toggle whether the Select Group screen is shown.
 WheelSections=ALWAYS means sections in group + ABC; NEVER means no sections;::ABC ONLY shows sections in just ABC sort
 Translations=Choose whether to displays song titles in their native::language (日本語), or to transliterate when possible
-DifficultySelect=
+Lyrics=Choose whether to show lyrics if a song::has them available (LRC File)
 
 [ScreenUnlock]
 NextScreen=ScreenRanking
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index f55cad6445..ebf0ea5137 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager()
 	m_DefaultFailType = SongOptions::FAIL_ARCADE;
 	m_bDancePointsForOni = false; //DDR-Extreme style dance points instead of max2 percent
 	m_bTimestamping = false;
+	m_bShowLyrics = true;
 
 	/* DDR Extreme-style extra stage support.
 	 * Default off so people used to the current behavior (or those with extra
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ void PrefsManager::ReadGlobalPrefsFromDisk( bool bSwitchToLastPlayedGame )
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "AllowSoftwareRenderer",		m_bAllowSoftwareRenderer );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "SoloSingle",					m_bSoloSingle );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "DancePointsForOni",			m_bDancePointsForOni );
+	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "ShowLyrics",					m_bShowLyrics );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "Timestamping",			m_bTimestamping );
 
 
@@ -258,6 +260,7 @@ void PrefsManager::SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk()
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "AllowSoftwareRenderer",		m_bAllowSoftwareRenderer );
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "SoloSingle",					m_bSoloSingle );
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "DancePointsForOni",			m_bDancePointsForOni );
+	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "ShowLyrics",					m_bShowLyrics );
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "Timestamping",				m_bTimestamping );
 
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 66c4beafa0..2b2ffb6db6 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public:
 	SongOptions::FailType m_DefaultFailType;
 	bool			m_bDancePointsForOni;
 	bool			m_bTimestamping;
+	bool			m_bShowLyrics;
 
 	/* 0 = no; 1 = yes; -1 = auto (do whatever is appropriate for the arch). */
 	int				m_iBoostAppPriority;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
index 3c8529ebdd..c94f9fd996 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenAppearanceOptions.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ enum {
 	AO_SELECT_GROUP,
 	AO_WHEEL_SECTIONS,
 	AO_SHOW_TRANSLATIONS,
+	AO_SHOW_LYRICS,
 	NUM_APPEARANCE_OPTIONS_LINES
 };
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ OptionRow g_AppearanceOptionsLines[NUM_APPEARANCE_OPTIONS_LINES] = {
 	OptionRow( "Song\nGroup",		"ALL MUSIC","CHOOSE"),
 	OptionRow( "Wheel\nSections",	"NEVER","ALWAYS", "ABC ONLY"),
 	OptionRow( "Translations",		"NATIVE","TRANSLITERATE"),
+	OptionRow( "Lyrics",			"HIDE","SHOW"),
 };
 
 ScreenAppearanceOptions::ScreenAppearanceOptions() :
@@ -138,6 +140,7 @@ void ScreenAppearanceOptions::ImportOptions()
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SELECT_GROUP]				= PREFSMAN->m_bShowSelectGroup? 1:0;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_WHEEL_SECTIONS]				= (int)PREFSMAN->m_MusicWheelUsesSections;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_TRANSLATIONS]			= PREFSMAN->m_bShowTranslations;
+	m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_LYRICS]				= PREFSMAN->m_bShowLyrics;
 }
 
 void ScreenAppearanceOptions::ExportOptions()
@@ -164,6 +167,7 @@ void ScreenAppearanceOptions::ExportOptions()
 	PREFSMAN->m_bShowSelectGroup				= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SELECT_GROUP];
 	(int&)PREFSMAN->m_MusicWheelUsesSections	= m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_WHEEL_SECTIONS];
 	PREFSMAN->m_bShowTranslations				= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_TRANSLATIONS];
+	PREFSMAN->m_bShowLyrics						= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_SHOW_LYRICS];
 	PREFSMAN->m_bDancePointsForOni				= !!m_iSelectedOption[0][AO_DANCE_POINTS_FOR_ONI];
 
 	PREFSMAN->SaveGamePrefsToDisk();
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
index 23a9fa32b5..fbaef64489 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
@@ -658,10 +658,13 @@ void ScreenGameplay::LoadNextSong()
 
 	// Load lyrics
 	// XXX: don't load this here
-	LyricsLoader	LL;
-	if( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong->HasLyrics()  )
+	if( PREFSMAN->m_bShowLyrics == true )
 	{
-		LL.LoadFromLRCFile(GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong->GetLyricsPath(), *GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong);
+		LyricsLoader	LL;
+		if( GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong->HasLyrics()  )
+		{
+			LL.LoadFromLRCFile(GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong->GetLyricsPath(), *GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong);
+		}
 	}
 }