Most of us like songs from our late teens through early 20s, best. I'd guess he'd choose several songs from the1940s and early '50s. I'd expect a few big band cuts (maybe Count Basie or Duke Ellington, maybe a Billy Eckstine or Sarah Vaughn vocal. Maybe some city Blues (Jimmy Witherspoon? Dinah Washington). Maybe some Pop crooners (Bing Crosby, Doris Day?).
One thing is sure: Neither "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" by Frank Wilson, "Like A Nightmare" by The Andantes, nor "When I Needed You" by Little Iva (AKA Miss Ray), nor ANY Thelma record will be one of those 8, nor will any of the records released by Ed Wingate's companies!
I think MY OWN PERSONAL 8 would be the following:
"Up On The Roof" - Drifters 1962
"Red Sails In The Sunset" - Five Keys 1952
"I'm Yours" - Flamingos 1954
"Liberation" - Afro Blues Quintet +1 1966
"Grand Spanish Lady" - Royal Ravens 1964
"My Girl" - Temptations 1964 (very late-I'll admit)
"Young Boy" - Barbara Green 1964
"Found True Love" Billy Butler & 4 Enchanters 1963
Only ONE Motown cut - amazing! And NONE of my Motown Vault discoveries, nor any of our Airwave/Altair cuts! And no room for Blues, Gospel, Avant Garde Jazz, or one from the "Girls Group" genre! I'd need at least a Top 1000 to take to a desert island to take all my favourites.
You Northern Soulies would neither be Happy with Berry's nor MY 8 choices. Even my own personal Top 1000 would include a heavy dose of 1951-54 R&B, 1949-1955 Chicago Blues, 1940s-'50s Gospel, late '50s-'60s Avant Garde Jazz, Afro-Latin Jazz, early '60s R&B/Soul transition, and early to mid '60s Soul, and early '60s Philles/Dimension style Girls Group style..