REG LOOKS BACK: Elton John enjoyed great...

REG LOOKS BACK: Elton John enjoyed great success with his versions of the Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and the Who’s “Pinball Wizard,” but does anybody want to hear him sing the folk standard “Cotton Fields” or the 1970 Norman Greenbaum smash “Spirit in the Sky”?

We’ll find out in April when Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra Records releases “Elton John: 16 Chart Busting Hits,” a collection of recordings made by the future superstar as he was just beginning to taste success in the early ‘70s.

The recordings, which were used on a series of compilation albums released in England that featured reworked versions of hits of the day, were unearthed last month by Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra executives who were looking for vintage Deep Purple material.

“These songs were on a CD under the name Reg Dwight, which is Elton’s real name,” says Brian Pererra, president of Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records.

The executive says Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra is “very excited” about acquiring the U.S. rights to the collection.

“It’s great,” he says. “It sounds like early, classic Elton John, except he’s doing other people’s songs. I’d say it’s going to appeal to collectors as well as new fans.”

John’s spokeswoman declined comment.