Yesterday on "The Howard Stern Show", NICK CANNON admitted that not only do he and MARIAH CAREY get it on to her music...but when she's not around, he TAKES CARE OF HIMSELF to it.

His favorite song to pull to? "Hero".

He said, quote, "I don't, like, light candles and...you know. It's like, sometimes you gotta be reminded of what's at home."

By the way...Nick also revealed that he and Mariah didn't even go past SECOND BASE before we were married.