diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Centered.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Centered.lua
index ac25a6454d..c497be93f1 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Centered.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Centered.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;diffuse,Color);
+		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;diffuse,Color;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard1File2x2.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard1File2x2.lua
index b52f29813d..7ba106cde4 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard1File2x2.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard1File2x2.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local a = LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color);
+	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color;effectclock,"music");
 	GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 	LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 };
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard2File2x2.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard2File2x2.lua
index b8586af7ec..647d1c9682 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard2File2x2.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Checkerboard2File2x2.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 local a = LoadActor(Var "File2") .. {
-	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color);
+	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color;effectclock,"music");
 	GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 	LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 };
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Kaleidoscope2x2.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Kaleidoscope2x2.lua
index 234a806dd0..79e370834e 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Kaleidoscope2x2.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/Kaleidoscope2x2.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local a = LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color;zoomx,self:GetZoomX()*-1;zoomy,self:GetZoomY()*-1);
+	OnCommand=cmd(zoomtowidth,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;zoomtoheight,SCREEN_HEIGHT/2;diffuse,Color;zoomx,self:GetZoomX()*-1;zoomy,self:GetZoomY()*-1;effectclock,"music");
 	GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 	LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 };
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/SongBgWithMovieViz.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/SongBgWithMovieViz.lua
index 8d729204ee..05fbcb54ab 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/SongBgWithMovieViz.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/SongBgWithMovieViz.lua
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ local Color2 = color(Var "Color2");
 
 local children = {
 	Def.Sprite {
-		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;ZoomToWidth,SCREEN_WIDTH;ZoomToHeight,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,Color1);
+		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;ZoomToWidth,SCREEN_WIDTH;ZoomToHeight,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,Color1;effectclock,"music");
 	};
 
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(blend,"BlendMode_Add";x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;ZoomToWidth,SCREEN_WIDTH;ZoomToHeight,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,Color2);
+		OnCommand=cmd(blend,"BlendMode_Add";x,SCREEN_CENTER_X;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y;ZoomToWidth,SCREEN_WIDTH;ZoomToHeight,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,Color2;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNoLoop.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNoLoop.lua
index fbd75cd539..34c00de3b9 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNoLoop.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNoLoop.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;loop,false);
+		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;loop,false;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormal.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormal.lua
index 3b100c79db..9de1483590 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormal.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormal.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color);
+		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormalAlignLeft.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormalAlignLeft.lua
index 3a5402259d..4a95626bdf 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormalAlignLeft.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchNormalAlignLeft.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(horizalign,left;scaletocover,0,0,SCREEN_WIDTH,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,color(Color));
+		OnCommand=cmd(horizalign,left;scaletocover,0,0,SCREEN_WIDTH,SCREEN_HEIGHT;diffuse,color(Color);effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchPaused.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchPaused.lua
index 4dd91a5b37..f7808b8b18 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchPaused.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchPaused.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;pause);
+		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;pause;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchRewind.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchRewind.lua
index 0df3c6c1dd..f33d058d89 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchRewind.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/StretchRewind.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;position,0);
+		OnCommand=cmd(scale_or_crop_background;diffuse,Color;position,0;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/UpperLeft.lua b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/UpperLeft.lua
index 32f9fb9a42..d2a69036c6 100644
--- a/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/UpperLeft.lua
+++ b/stepmania/BackgroundEffects/UpperLeft.lua
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ local Color = color(Var "Color1");
 
 local children = {
 	LoadActor(Var "File1") .. {
-		OnCommand=cmd(diffuse,Color);
+		OnCommand=cmd(diffuse,Color;effectclock,"music");
 		GainFocusCommand=cmd(play);
 		LoseFocusCommand=cmd(pause);
 	};
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
index 806400aacb..5a292155fc 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
@@ -670,21 +670,6 @@ void BackgroundImpl::LoadFromSong( const Song* pSong )
 		m_pDancingCharacters->LoadNextSong();
 
 	TEXTUREMAN->SetDefaultTexturePolicy( OldPolicy );
-
-	/* Song backgrounds always sync from the music by default, unlike other actors
-	 * which sync from the regular clock by default.  If you don't want this, set
-	 * the clock back with "effectclock,timer" in your OnCommand.  Note that at this
-	 * point, we havn't run the OnCommand yet, so it'll override correctly. */
-	FOREACHM( BackgroundDef, Actor*, mainlayer.m_BGAnimations, it )
-	{
-		Actor *pBGA = it->second;
-
-		/* Be sure that we run this command recursively on all children; the tree
-		 * may look something like "BGAnimation, BGAnimationLayer, Sprite" or it
-		 * may be deeper, like "BGAnimation, BGAnimationLayer, BGAnimation,
-		 * BGAnimationLayer, Sprite". */
-		pBGA->RunCommands( ActorUtil::ParseActorCommands("effectclock,'music'") );
-	}
 }
 
 int BackgroundImpl::Layer::FindBGSegmentForBeat( float fBeat ) const