[jorik]

спасибо и на том. Вопрос решил. Может кому нужно будет

function addLoadEvent(func) {
  var oldonload = window.onload;
  if (typeof window.onload != 'function') {
    window.onload = func;
  } else {
    window.onload = function() {
      oldonload();
      func();
    }
  }
}
function prepareInputsForHints() {
  var inputs = document.getElementsByTagName("input");
  for (var i=0; i<inputs.length; i++){
    inputs[i].onfocus = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "inline";
    }
    inputs[i].onblur = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "none";
    }
  }
  var selects = document.getElementsByTagName("select");
  for (var k=0; k<selects.length; k++){
    selects[k].onfocus = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "inline";
    }
    selects[k].onblur = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "none";
    }
  }
  var textareas = document.getElementsByTagName("textarea");
  for (var m=0; m<textareas.length; m++){
    textareas[m].onfocus = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "inline";
    }
    textareas[m].onblur = function () {
      this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName("span")[0].style.display = "none";
    }
  }
}
addLoadEvent(prepareInputsForHints);

html, после формы добавляем span с текстом

<span class="hint">какойто текст</span>

сss

.hint {
   	display: none;
    position: absolute;
    left: 350px;
	top:5px;
    width: 250px;
	height:20px;
	text-align:center;
	box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
    margin-top:-5px;
    border: 1px solid #ffffff;
    padding: 3px 4px;
    background: #f6f5f5 url(pointer.gif) no-repeat -10px 5px;
	border-radius: 5px;