A lamp with a retractable lamp cord. An illustrative embodiment of the lamp with a retractable lamp cord includes a lamp base having a base interior; a lamp shaft extending from the lamp base; a light bulb socket provided on the lamp shaft; a rotatable cord spool provided in the base interior of the lamp base; a spring provided in the base interior of the lamp base and engaging the cord spool; first and second stator radial contacts provided in the base interior of the lamp base and electrically connected to the light bulb socket; rotatable first and second rotor radial contacts disposed in electrical contact with the first and second stator radial contacts, respectively; and a lamp cord electrically connected to the first and second rotor radial contacts and normally wound on the cord spool and extendable from the base interior of the lamp base.