diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenWithMenuElements overlay.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenWithMenuElements overlay.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7476c032be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenWithMenuElements overlay.lua	
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+local children = { };
+
+children[#children+1] = Def.HelpDisplay {
+	File = THEME:GetPathF("HelpDisplay", "text");
+
+	InitCommand=function(self)
+		local s = ScreenString("HelpText");
+		self:SetTipsColonSeparated(s);
+	end;
+
+	SetHelpTextCommand=function(self, params)
+		self:SetTipsColonSeparated( params.Text );
+	end;
+	OnCommand=function(self)
+		self:x( ScreenMetric("HelpX") );
+		self:y( ScreenMetric("HelpY") );
+		local f = ScreenMetric("HelpOnCommand");
+		f(self);
+	end;
+	OffCommand=function(self)
+		local f = ScreenMetric("HelpOffCommand");
+		f(self);
+	end;
+};
+
+return Def.ActorFrame {
+	children = children;
+};
+
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenCenterImage.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenCenterImage.cpp
index 1ae92a92e3..537290fc5f 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenCenterImage.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenCenterImage.cpp
@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ void ScreenCenterImage::Init()
 	ScreenWithMenuElements::Init();
 
 #if defined(XBOX)
-	vector<RString> strArray;
-	RString text("Use the left analog stick to translate the screen and right right analog stick to scale");
-	strArray.push_back(text);
-	m_textHelp->SetTips(strArray);
+	// XXX
+	SetHelpText( "Use the left analog stick to translate the screen and right right analog stick to scale" );
 #endif
 	
 	m_textInstructions.LoadFromFont( THEME->GetPathF("Common","normal") );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
index 116b0c249d..2113c5ebea 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #include "global.h"
 #include "ScreenWithMenuElements.h"
 #include "MenuTimer.h"
-#include "HelpDisplay.h"
 #include "RageLog.h"
 #include "ThemeManager.h"
 #include "GameState.h"
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@
 ScreenWithMenuElements::ScreenWithMenuElements()
 {
 	m_MenuTimer = NULL;
-	m_textHelp = new HelpDisplay;
 	FOREACH_PlayerNumber( p )
 		m_MemoryCardDisplay[p] = NULL;
 	m_MenuTimer = NULL;
@@ -84,13 +82,6 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::Init()
 	LOAD_ALL_COMMANDS_AND_SET_XY( m_autoFooter );
 	this->AddChild( m_autoFooter );
 
-	m_textHelp->SetName( "Help" );
-	m_textHelp->Load( "HelpDisplay" );
-	m_textHelp->LoadFromFont( THEME->GetPathF("HelpDisplay","text") );
-	LOAD_ALL_COMMANDS_AND_SET_XY( m_textHelp );
-	LoadHelpText();
-	this->AddChild( m_textHelp );
-
 	m_sprUnderlay.Load( THEME->GetPathB(m_sName,"underlay") );
 	m_sprUnderlay->SetName("Underlay");
 	m_sprUnderlay->SetDrawOrder( DRAW_ORDER_UNDERLAY );
@@ -175,7 +166,6 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::TweenOnScreen()
 		ON_COMMAND( m_MenuTimer );
 
 	ON_COMMAND( m_autoFooter );
-	ON_COMMAND( m_textHelp );
 	m_sprUnderlay->PlayCommand("On");
 	m_sprOverlay->PlayCommand("On");;
 	m_In.PlayCommand("On");;
@@ -186,7 +176,6 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::TweenOnScreen()
 ScreenWithMenuElements::~ScreenWithMenuElements()
 {
 	SAFE_DELETE( m_MenuTimer );
-	SAFE_DELETE( m_textHelp );
 	FOREACH_PlayerNumber( p )
 	{
 		if( m_MemoryCardDisplay[p] != NULL )
@@ -194,14 +183,11 @@ ScreenWithMenuElements::~ScreenWithMenuElements()
 	}
 }
 
-void ScreenWithMenuElements::LoadHelpText()
+void ScreenWithMenuElements::SetHelpText( RString s )
 {
-	vector<RString> vs;
-	RString s = THEME->GetString(m_sName,"HelpText");
-	split( s, "::", vs );
-
-	m_textHelp->SetTips( vs );
-	m_textHelp->PlayCommand( "Changed" );
+	Message msg("SetHelpText");
+	msg.SetParam( "Text", s );
+	this->HandleMessage( msg );
 }
 
 void ScreenWithMenuElements::StartPlayingMusic()
@@ -275,7 +261,6 @@ void ScreenWithMenuElements::TweenOffScreen()
 		if( m_MemoryCardDisplay[p] )
 			OFF_COMMAND( m_MemoryCardDisplay[p] );
 	OFF_COMMAND( m_autoFooter );
-	OFF_COMMAND( m_textHelp );
 	m_sprUnderlay->PlayCommand("Off");
 	m_sprOverlay->PlayCommand("Off");;
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.h b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.h
index 67fb3ee024..a615117ad4 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenWithMenuElements.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "ThemeMetric.h"
 
 class MenuTimer;
-class HelpDisplay;
 class MemoryCardDisplay;
 
 class ScreenWithMenuElements : public Screen
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
 	virtual void StartPlayingMusic();
-	virtual void LoadHelpText();
+	void SetHelpText( RString s );
 
 	/* If true, BeginScreen() will run OnCommand on the whole screen, and
 	 * TweenOnScreen will not be called.  (Eventually, all screens should
@@ -51,7 +50,6 @@ protected:
 	MemoryCardDisplay		*m_MemoryCardDisplay[NUM_PLAYERS];
 	MenuTimer			*m_MenuTimer;
 	AutoActor			m_autoFooter;
-	HelpDisplay			*m_textHelp;
 	AutoActor			m_sprOverlay;
 
 	Transition			m_In;