Vignettes from the Grammy Awards

LOS ANGELES --Grammy night belonged to U2, but Bono and the boys recalled that hasn't always been the case.

"We've been here and lost on some of our most important albums. We've been at the other end of this, too," the U2 frontman said after the group walked away with five awards Wednesday, including the coveted album of the year trophy for "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."

Bono noted the group was particularly disappointed that its 1991 album, "Achtung Baby," didn't fare better. Drummer Larry Mullen said reaction to 1997's "Pop" was another disappointment.

"After the 'Pop' record, things like this actually mean something," Mullen said.

With 20 Grammys and counting, guitarist The Edge was asked if the awards certify the group as the greatest band in the world.

"I think we are tonight," he replied.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- You don't necessarily have to be a musician to win music's most coveted honor, as the 48th annual Grammy Awards proved.

While the lion's share of the 107 awards went to musicians and their producers and other musical technicians, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., claimed one in the best spoken word category for his readings from his autobiographical "Dreams From My Father."

Director Martin Scorsese, perhaps the greatest filmmaker to never win an Academy Award, took home a Grammy for best long-form video for "No Direction Home," his celebrated documentary on Bob Dylan.

In another "you don't necessarily have to ... " category, the Grammy for best Latin pop album was captured by Laura Pausini, an Italian.

Obama is not the first politician to win a Grammy.

President Clinton teamed with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and actress Sophia Loren to win one for best spoken-word album in 2003, then won another one the next year for the reading of his autobiography, "My Life." Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., won for best spoken word in 1997 for "It Takes a Village."

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- He won for best instrumental album, but composer Burt Bacharach had plenty to say at the Grammys, particularly about the war in Iraq.

"I've never seen times like we've got right now," he said backstage, his young children by his side. "This is the future I'm leaving behind for these kids and I'm concerned because I think we've really made a mess of it."

Bacharach, who won for "At This Time," accused President Bush of leading the United States into war by "lying" that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

"I never like to be lied to by a girlfriend or agent, and certainly not the president of the United States," he said. "I'm very concerned, as we all should be. That's why the album is called 'At This Time.'"

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Hospitalized with fluid in his lungs and a heart condition, guitar legend Les Paul joked that winning two Grammys made him feel like "a condemned building with a new flag pole on it."

"I didn't believe it," the 90-year-old musician said by phone from his hospital bed in Ridgewood, N.J., where he learned Wednesday night he had won Grammys for best pop instrumental and best rock instrumental.

Paul, who has been at Ridgewood's Valley Hospital since Friday, was well enough to watch the Grammy Awards on television.

"I'm doing fine. It's just going to take a little time," he said. "I want to get back and play."

The guitarist missed both the Grammys and an all-star 90th birthday celebration that took place Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Although a fine musician, Paul is best known for helping launch the rock music revolution by creating the solid-body electric guitars that bear his name. He said the real credit goes to the musicians who played them.

"If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be there," he said.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Husband and wife country crooners Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were happy to talk to anybody about their Grammy win Wednesday -- even out-of-state callers.

When AP Music Writer Nekesa Moody's cell phone went off as the two were answering questions, McGraw stepped off the interview stage, grabbed the phone and handed it to his wife.

"Hi, this is Faith Hill, do you have a question?" she asked.

From his office in New York City, AP Entertainment Editor Jesse Washington asked what she thought of Sly Stone, who received a rousing, star-studded tribute during the 48th annual Grammy Awards.

"He's amazing. I thought his look was classic," she said of the artist's flamboyant mohawk hairstyle. "We're going to try to pull that off."

McGraw then snatched the phone back, told Washington, "Your reporter is going to have to call you later" and hung up.

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Associated Press writers Solvej Schou, Christina Almeida and Alex Veiga in Los Angeles and Janet Frankston in New York contributed to this story.